The New York Times (8/31, Abelson) reports, “In general, under the” Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, “insurers are prohibited from offering plans that treat depression differently than, say, diabetes; no longer can they impose strict limits on treatment, or set up overly stringent pre-authorization policies or exclude categories of care,” such as “residential programs.” However, “the exemption afforded” state and local “governments for their employees is widely in use, particularly in strained economic times, maintaining a loophole some advocates have tried to close repeatedly.” In fact, “dozens of plans across the country have requested an exemption for the current coverage year,” a time when people have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, “according to the most recent list compiled by the federal government.”
Related Links:
— “Teachers, Police, Other Public Workers Left Out of Mental Health Coverage “Reed Abelson, The New York Times, August 31, 2021