DHHS’ Push to Fix ACA Network Adequacy Issues
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New York Times reporter Robert Pear briefly describes the Department of Health and Human Services’ push to fix issues found within consumer complaints. One of the major complications in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act is the inaccurate provider directories of insurance companies. Several studies have been conducted to determine that accuracy of provider …
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Parity Project Director Discusses Parity on WYPR
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Parity Advocate, Adrienne Ellis of the Maryland Parity Project, shared some of her parity knowledge and experiences on the Maryland Morning Show with Sheilah Kast of WYPR. Ellis discussed the importance of the Mental Health Parity Addiction and Equity Act that was passed in 2008. She also highlighted the Mental Health Association of Maryland’s network …
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Maryland Parity Project and Other Parity Advocates Push for Passage of Parity Enforcement Legislation
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The battle to obtain behavioral health services has long since been raging in the United States. Historically, the stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction has barred many from accessing treatment and has been reinforced by insurance carriers offering less coverage for behavioral health than somatic health. The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity …
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New York Regulators Issue Parity Guidance
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On June 4, 2014, the New York State Department of Financial Services circulated this letter to provide guidance to insurers about the impact of Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) on the state marketplace plans and how to be in compliance with MHPAEA. The letter provides a brief summary of the background of …
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NY AG Schneiderman Takes Stand for Mental Health Parity
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The New York Attorney General (AG) website, AG Eric T. Schneiderman announced a settlement with New York’s EmblemHealth, Inc., demanding the insurer to comply with parity laws. AG Schneiderman is requiring the company to reform their behavioral health appeals review process and to submit previously denied mental health and substance abuse treatment claims for independent …
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MPP and UMD Drug Policy Clinic Review QHPs for Parity Compliance
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The Maryland Parity Project worked with the University of Maryland Drug Policy Clinic to analyze the [tippy title=”Qualified Health Plans” header=”on”]QHPs are private health benefit plans that are certified by Maryland Health Connection.[/tippy] (QHPs) for sale on the Maryland Health Connection to determine their compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). …
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UM School of Law Develops Parity & Addiction Equity Resource Guide
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Student-attorneys of the University of Maryland Carey School of Law Drug Policy Clinic, Darci Smith and Will Dwyer, have created a Parity Act Resource Guide to assist providers and consumers with federal and state parity regulations that are currently in place. The Guide also has tips for identifying parity violations, disclosure provisions and how to submit …
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Parity Project Director Presents Webinar
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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 …
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Health Affairs Release Important Parity Brief
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Leading 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 …
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New York Attorney General Holds Insurer Accountable For Parity Violations
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New 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 …
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Proposed Bill Could Potentially Decrease MD Funding
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On 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 …
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Medicare Makes Positive Parity Steps
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As 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 …
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Maryland Legislator Requests Insurance Commissioner to Perform Market Conduct Reviews to Assess Parity Compliance
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Delegate 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 …
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Be Wary of Narrow Networks in New Health Plans
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The 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 …
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Funds to Improve Access to MH Services
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On 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 …
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The Fight for Parity in Vermont
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The 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 …
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Reactions to Final Parity Ruling
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On 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 …
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Final Parity Rule Upholds Strong Consumer Protections
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After 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 …
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Final Parity Regulations Released
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Soon 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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The Kennedy Forum
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Established by former congressman Patrick F. Kennedy, the Kennedy Forum strives to stay true to President Kennedy’s vision – for everyone to live dignified lives and take advantage of the benefits that come with being American. The Community Mental Health Act signed 50 years ago provided a sound foundation for mental health parity laws and …
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Insurer in CA Faces Steep Fines for Violation of State Parity Law
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The HMO, Kaiser Permanente was recently fined $4m by the State of California for violating California mental health parity law. The fine, the second largest in California history, was in response to Kaiser’s failure to provide access to mental health care in a timely manner. Along with the fine, California Department of Insurance issued a …
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Governor O’Malley Signs Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Legislation
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On May 2, Governor O’Malley signed into law two pieces of legislation that will better enable the Maryland Insurance Administration to fully enforce the federal parity law and better allow consumers to exercise their rights. A small group of parity advocates including, MHAMD, NCADD Maryland, and the University of Maryland Law School Drug Policy Clinic …
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First Parity Court Ruling in Favor of the MH/SUD Consumer
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On May 2, 2013 the United States District Court in Vermont issued the first ruling in the country on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. While the Court has not yet issued a final decision in the case, the ruling issued earlier established that the plan administrator has the burden to show that …
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Psychiatrist File Suit Against Anthem Well Point for Parity Violations
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PRESS RELEASE FROM THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION American Psychiatric Association and Others Seek Court’s Intervention in Compelling Anthem and Wellpoint to End Alleged Discrimination Against Mental Health Patients ARLINGTON, Va. (April 11, 2013) — The American Psychiatric Association, the Connecticut Psychiatric Society, the Connecticut Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and two individuals have …
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