California’s experience with Parity since the year 2000 provides a glimpse into many of the potential pitfalls as well as a handful of thoughtful recommendations for greater success in implementation. The California experience reveals that, above all, communication to consumers and providers is critical. What was learned in California and [...]

On the one hand, I’m excited by the prospect that Medicaid eligibility rules might be reformed to cover people at up to 150% of poverty levels, swelling the ranks of Medicaid and ballooning the number of people in Medicaid managed care plans with Parity-compliant behavioral health benefits. On the other hand, [...]

To download a comprehensive, 25-page, detailed analysis from AHP on the recently issued MHPAEA Regulations as a PDF, click here.
On Friday, January 29th, the three Federal departments charged with the promulgation of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), released their Interim Final Rule, also referred to [...]

Having just attended the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare conference in Florida last week, it is clear that the behavioral health field – much like the rest of America – is struggling to make sense of sweeping reforms. While the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) and the [...]

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 [...]

On November 4th Cindy Mann of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offered a rare glimpse into the guidance and direction plans and providers around the country are anticipating in January. Specifically, her letter was directed to “State Health Officials” responsible for Medicaid and CHIP. Her purpose was to provide some “general guidance” [...]

Those of you with no legal background, brace yourselves for this opening line: The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) – which is housed within the Department of Labor and oversees ERISA – through their Office of Health Plan Standards and Compliance Assistance, states that Parity will be subject to the “anti-abuse” proposed rule – 29 C.F.R. [...]

I am attending the California Association of Health Plans annual conference this week and thought I would share some of what I am observing. For starters, Howard Khan, CEO of LA Care Health Plan and Chairman of CAHP Board provided a keynote that immediately established the context where health plans are concerned. He pointed to [...]

Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee will take up the fate of at least one reform proposal. On the eve of that vote, the American Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released a report prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) demonstrating the bill will wind up costing more than its authors are admitting. Talking heads are exploding in an uproar [...]

Surprised about the delay? No, but employers and plans will need to move forward carefully, doing everything they can to comply reasonably and in “good faith” until we receive clarification.
On October 2nd, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote to House and Senate lawmakers saying that the administration “aims” to issue regulations for the one-year old mental [...]