In order to maximize the opportunities associated with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA or “Parity”) in the commercial/private health insurance sectors, particularly among ERISA group plans, substance use disorder treatment providers (among others) are encouraged to conduct some serious business and strategic planning in the coming [...]

It’s true that the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA, or “Parity” as it is often referred to) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) create many opportunities for integration between mental health, substance use disorder and primary care providers. However, some of that integration will feel [...]

Next week’s webinar will offer payors a roadmap to readiness. Register here:
http://behavioralhealthcentral.com/index.php/Event-Registration/vmchk.ht
Parity Legislation Compliance Webinar Series
Part 1: Getting Ready for Mental Health Parity
Wednesday, December 9 at 2 p.m.

Sign up on or before December 4th and save $150! Enter ”parity” at checkout to receive your early registration discount.
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) was signed into [...]

Last week, the President of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Margaret O’Kane, reported that quality of care in the United States did not improve in 2008. She went on to say that she believes health reform must address quality. A review of the report makes it abundantly clear to this author that one [...]

So much of what we’re hearing, reading and considering when it comes to behavioral health parity and health insurance reform is a function of our urban and suburban perceptions of  health care.  I lived and worked in a rural/frontier state for some time and can recall the difficulties and challenges we faced there and in [...]

We recently presented to the State Associations of Addictions Services (SAAS) at their annual summit in Tucson where they had joined forces with NIATx (and by extension SAMHSA and NIDA) in the interest of exploring patient engagement strategies, the exchange of process improvement ideas, and understanding how healthcare reform and the Mental Health Parity and [...]

Between healthcare reform and parity, the funding stream is getting wider and deeper. Between SAMHSA’s integration demonstration projects and CMS’s Medical Home pilot projects, there is ample evidence that patient-centered care will soon mean heightened emphasis on collaborative care models and integration.
Integration can either be a source of frustration handed won from policy-makers or it [...]