Last week the US Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued final rules implementing the Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act of 2008. These rules replace interim rules published by the DOL in February 2010. The final rules incorporate clarifications issued by regulators since the interim rules were published. The final rules also remove the exception for non-quantitative treatment limitations based on “clinically appropriate standards of care” (plans may still implement non-quantitative treatment limits to the extent they are comparable to the limits on medical/surgical benefits) and clarify disclosure rights of plan participants. The final rules are effective with plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2014.