New 50-State Report Shows Few Successes in Mental Health Parity Implementation

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kennedy Forum and The Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation today released a groundbreaking set of reports from all 50 states revealing striking new details about the implementation of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. As part the ongoing ParityTrack initiative, the Parity Reports found that less than half of state regulatory agencies are actively enforcing the law, which was signed by President George W. Bush in 2008, while only five states have taken disciplinary action against insurers for violating these laws. The reports, available at www.paritytrack.org, also analyze federal and state legislation, regulatory actions, litigation, and other legal actions that have affected how behavioral health care is treated in this country.

"We have difficult work ahead to make parity a reality. The Parity Reports will be a powerful tool to hold legislators and regulators accountable, and to spread the most promising parity practices across the country," said Patrick J. Kennedy, Former U.S. Representative, author of the Federal Parity Law, and founder of the Kennedy Forum.

At the same time, ParityTrack has also identified promising practices in parity implementation, such as a recent bill passed in Illinois that requires that state's department of insurance to enforce federal and state parity laws. The report also highlights the investigations of consumer complaints by the New York State Attorney General, which has led to 5 settlements with insurers for violating parity laws.

"ParityTrack is designed to help individuals understand their rights to accessing care, and what they can do if those rights have been violated," said Joe Pyle, President of the Scattergood Foundation. "By completing the Parity Reports, we now understand what is working to implement parity as well as what gaps still need to be filled."

ParityTrack was launched in June as a collaborative project that highlights and promotes efforts to implement mental health and substance use disorder parity laws throughout the United States. Beyond the Parity Reports, ParityTrack also provides easy to understand information for consumers, family members, providers and advocates about the rights afforded to them under federal and state parity laws. The completion of the Parity Reports marks the first time individuals can access specific details of mental health and substance use parity in their state and how their state compares to others.

Through the fall of 2015, ParityTrack will work with partners such as Treatment Research Institute, Parity Implementation Coalition, Legal Action Center, Community Catalyst, and Health Law Advocates to continue to analyze parity-related actions, and develop additional tailored resources for consumers and other audiences. If you are interested in assisting with the development of these resources, or would like to discuss ParityTrack, please contact us at [email protected]

SOURCE The Kennedy Forum

Related Links

http://www.thekennedyforum.org

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