The North Carolina Senate Health Committee unanimously approved a mental-health parity bill this week, but only after the measure was stripped of provisions that would have also required parity coverage for addictive disorders.

The Greensboro News-Record reported June 28 that the bill was a compromise from a stronger measure passed by the state House. Fran Pearson, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Greensboro, said that the bill was flawed because it does not recognize the high rate of co-occurring addiction and mental-health disorders.

"To try to peel off one of those diagnoses and not treat the entire constellation of symptoms will make things difficult for providers," Pearson said.

Besides taking out the addiction provisions, Senate lawmakers also would allow insurers to cap the number of hospital days and office visits patients may get for some mental-health problems, although not the nine diagnoses considered most serious.

Even some critics of the changes voted for the bill, calling it a good start towards full parity. It's unclear whether the House will go along with the Senate changes or force a conference in an attempt to craft a stronger bill.