Open AccessHealth Plans’ Early Response to Federal Parity Legislation for Mental Health and Addiction Services
Author(s) -
Constance M. Horgan,
Dominic Hodgkin,
Maureen T. Stewart,
Amity E. Quinn,
Elizabeth L. Merrick,
Sharon Reif,
Deborah W. Garnick,
Timothy B. Creedon
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
psychiatric services
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.517
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1557-9700
pISSN - 1075-2730
DOI - 10.1176/appi.ps.201400575
Subject(s) - mental health , prior authorization , health care , legislation , medicine , health policy , environmental health , unintended consequences , public health , actuarial science , business , psychiatry , nursing , political science , law
In 2008, the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) passed, prohibiting U.S. health plans from subjecting mental health and substance use disorder (behavioral health) coverage to more restrictive limitations than those applied to general medical care. This require d some health plans to make changes in coverage and management of services. The aim of this study was to examine private health plans' early responses to MHPAEA (after its 2010 implementation), in terms of both intended and unintended effects.