Rep. Huneycutt files bill in North Carolina House to enhance mental health coverage parity

A new bill filed by State Rep. Cody Huneycutt in the North Carolina House seeks to improve parity in health benefit plan coverage for mental health and addiction recovery services, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 634 on March 31 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Parity Enhancement for Addiction Recovery.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to enhance parity in health benefit plan coverage for mental health and addiction recovery services by aligning state laws with federal standards. It mandates that mental health conditions receive the same level of coverage as physical illnesses, as defined in the DSM-5, excluding certain disorders like autism spectrum disorders and specific sexual dysfunctions. The bill requires utilization review programs to apply consistent clinical review criteria, particularly for substance use disorders, based solely on the American Society of Addiction Medicine standards. It prohibits compensation incentives for utilization reviewers that might affect decisions and necessitates a timely and systematic decision-making process. The bill also includes revising existing statutes to replace the term “chemical dependency” with “substance use disorder” and repealing outdated provisions. The act becomes effective on Oct. 1, 2025, applicable to insurance contracts issued, renewed, or amended from that date.

A related bill, SB 566, was also filed in the North Carolina Senate, introduced by Sen. Graig Meyer (and two others) on March 25, 2025.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Donna McDowell White proposed the most bills (30) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Huneycutt graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2014 with a BA.

Huneycutt, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2025 to represent the state’s 67th House district, replacing previous state representative Clayton Sasser.