Parity means that financial cost-sharing requirements for mental health/substance use disorder benefits (such as deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket limitations) must be comparable but not identical to those for medical surgical. Parity also applies to rules regarding care management (authorization for treatment) and treatment limitations.

 Although benefits may differ across plans, parity requires that the processes related to plan benefit determinations be comparable. The ACA contributed to parity by eliminating annual and lifetime dollar limits for mental health/substance use disorder benefits.