H.R. 957

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 957 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 957 To provide for civil monetary penalties for violations of mental health parity requirements. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 4, 2025 Mr. Norcross (for himself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Pocan, and Mr. Johnson of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for civil monetary penalties for violations of mental health parity requirements. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Parity Enforcement Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. CIVIL MONETARY PENALTIES FOR PARITY VIOLATIONS. (a) Civil Monetary Penalties Relating to Parity in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders.--Section 502(c)(10) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1132(c)(10)(A)) is amended-- (1) in the heading, by striking ``use of genetic information'' and inserting ``use of genetic information and parity in mental health and substance use disorder benefits''; and (2) in subparagraph (A)-- (A) by striking ``any plan sponsor of a group health plan'' and inserting ``any plan sponsor, service provider, or plan administrator of a group health plan''; and (B) by striking ``for any failure'' and all that follows through ``in connection with the plan.'' and inserting ``for any failure by such sponsor, service provider, administrator, or issuer, in connection with the plan-- ``(i) to meet the requirements of subsection (a)(1)(F), (b)(3), (c), or (d) of section 702 or section 701 or 702(b)(1) with respect to genetic information; or ``(ii) to meet the requirements of subsection (a) of section 712 with respect to parity in mental health and substance use disorder benefits.''. (b) Exception to the General Prohibition on Enforcement.--Section 502 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 1132) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)(6), by striking ``or (9)'' and inserting ``(9), or (10)''; and (2) in subsection (b)(3)-- (A) by striking ``subsections (c)(9) and (a)(6)'' and inserting ``subsections (c)(9), (c)(10), and (a)(6)''; and (B) by striking ``under subsection (c)(9))'' and inserting ``under subsections (c)(9) and (c)(10)), and except with respect to enforcement by the Secretary of section 712''. (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to group health plans, or any health insurance issuer offering health insurance coverage in connection with such plan, for plan years beginning after the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act. <all>