(4)__A policy or contract may not have separate maximums for physical illness and mental illness, separate deductibles and coinsurance amounts for physical illness and mental illness, separate out-of- pocket limits in a benefit period of not more than 12 months for physical illness and mental illness or separate office visit limits for physical illness and mental illness.

(5)__A health benefit plan may not impose a limitation on coverage or benefits for mental illness unless that same limitation is also imposed on the coverage and benefits for physical illness covered under the policy or contract.

(6)__Copayments required under a policy or contract for benefits and coverage for mental illness must be actuarially equivalent to any coinsurance requirements or, if there are no coinsurance requirements, may not be greater than any copayment or coinsurance required under the policy or contract for a benefit or coverage for a physical illness.

(7)__For the purposes of this section, a medication management visit associated with a mental illness must be covered in the same manner as a medication management visit for the treatment of a physical illness and may not be counted in the calculation of any maximum outpatient treatment visit limits.

This subsection does not apply to policies, contracts and certificates covering employees of employers with 20 or fewer employees, whether the group policy is issued to the employer, to an association, to a multiple-employer trust or to another entity.

This subsection may not be construed to allow coverage and benefits for the treatment of alcoholism or other drug dependencies through the diagnosis of a mental illness listed in paragraph A .

Sec. VV-6. 24 MRSA §2325-A, sub-§5-D, as amended by PL 1995, c. 637, §2, is further amended to read:

5-D. Mandated offer of coverage for certain mental illnesses. Except as otherwise provided, coverage for medical