- Background: Mental Health Parity laws require insurance coverage for mental health services equal to medical services, but enforcement is inconsistent, limiting access to care.
- Challenges: States face difficulties in enforcing parity due to vague standards, limited resources, and lack of transparency in insurance practices.
- State Solutions:
- Enhance oversight by dedicating more resources and expertise to monitoring parity.
- Support consumers in understanding and asserting their rights.
- Require insurers to report detailed data on mental health benefits for better oversight.
- Conduct thorough examinations of insurer practices.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen enforcement efforts.
- Best Practices: States like New York and California serve as models for effective parity enforcement.
- Recommendations: States should adopt clear standards, increase funding for enforcement, and close legal loopholes to improve compliance and access to mental health services.
Knowledge Hub
You have found the “go-to” repository of knowledge, best practices, models of intervention, and evidence-informed services to build the capacity of States, Tribes, territories, child welfare, and mental health professionals to offer comprehensive adoption competent mental health services. This hub is dynamic and will be regularly updated to align with your informational needs.
Enforcing Mental Health Parity: State Options to Improve Access to Care
< 1 min read
