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Alternatively, you can visit 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to talk via phone or live webchat. The Mental Health Association of Maryland provides free informational resources, which are currently available by download or by mail.
On Wednesday, May 15th, Maryland Parity Project Director, Adrienne Ellis, along with UMD Carey Law School Professor of Law, Ellen Weber presented a webinar, Health Care Reform: Critical Issues for Newly Insured Behavioral Health Consumers sponsored by NAMI-MD. Ellis and Weber discussed some of Health Care Reform critical issues for behavioral health consumers such as …
Read moreLeading peer reviewed journal, Health Affairs, explores critical health science topics and disperse information in the form of a brief. Recently, Health Affairs released a brief on mental health parity. The article highlighted the history of the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) and the Mental Health Parity Addiction and Equity Act (MHPAEA). MHPAEA is very …
Read moreNew York Attorney General took a major step forward in the enforcement of the Federal Parity Law in the states, issuing a landmark decision against an insurer in NY for violations of the parity law, one of the first such actions in the states. After an investigation into potential violations by MVP Health Care and …
Read moreOn December 12th, 2013, Representative Tim Murphy (R – Pa) introduced the bill “Helping Families in Mental Crises Act of 2013” that aims to decrease mental health spending and increase mental illness spending. Within the 135-page document, Congressman Murphy highlights a number of changes he believes will fix the mental health system, such as creating an …
Read moreAs mental health advocates applauded the release of final parity ruling for private and marketplace health plans, others were still concerned about of a group consumers who were not awarded the same consumer protections – Medicare recipients. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act was originally written to provide consumers who have a mental …
Read moreDelegate Pete Hammen, Chair of the House of Delegates Health and Government Operations Committee has always been a strong supporter of mental health and substance use disorder parity. Upon requests of behavioral health advocates he sponsored HB1001, Health Insurance- Federal and State Mental Health and Addiction Parity Laws- Report on Compliance, ( fact sheet) which …
Read moreThe Affordable Care Act will decrease the number of uninsured Americans, increase access to quality health care and to shed light on the value of prevention. The requirement that insurers provide affordable and quality health care is a vast improvement for consumers, but as insurers are finding ways to handle the influx of new policyholders …
Read moreOn December 10th, Vice President Biden reinforced the Obama Administration’s plan to improve access to mental health care by announcing $100 million will be dedicated to increasing access to mental health services and improving mental health facilities. Over the past years, the Administration has worked to diminish mental health stigma with nationwide discussions. Less than …
Read moreThe American Psychiatric Association and Vermont Psychiatric Association officials recently asserted that BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont is in violation of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 by setting reimbursement rates for psychiatrists below those for primary care and implementing restrictive prior authorization requirements. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont requires prior …
Read moreOn November 8th, 2013, the parity implementation ruling was finally released to address behavioral health discrimination. The long awaited ruling has garnered reactions among lawmakers, behavioral health advocates, agencies, and insurance carriers. The Obama Administration Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, confidently announced, “we are finally closing those gaps.” Although …
Read moreAfter a 3 year wait, the Final Regulations for the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Act were released on November 13, 2013 and will take effect on January 13, 2013 for plans with effective dates on or after July 1, 2014. All 206 pages of the Rule can be found in the Federal Register and …
Read moreSoon has finally arrived. After almost 3 years of waiting, consumers, providers and advocates were rewarded this morning with Final Regulations to implement and enforce the Federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Secretary Sebelius announced the release of the Final Regulations at the Rosalyn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy earlier this morning. …
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