On May 19, Milliman Inc. released a brief examining the regulatory process establishing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.  The brief explains the U.S. Treasury Department's interim final rule (IFR) requiring group health plans to have no more restrictions on mental health and substance abuse disorders than they do on medical/surgical benefits.  The author outlines how the IFR will affect the business of behavioral health.

From the report: In the absence of formal guidance until the publication of the IFR and with the MHPAEA requiring compliance for plan years starting on or after October 3, 2009, many group health plans have been operating under a good-faith compliance standard.  The IFR from the federal agencies provides significant guidance in some areas, and several of the requirements will necessitate additional steps to ensure compliance.  The IFR, published in February 2010, generall applies to plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010 (with a delayed effective date available for collectively bargained plans).  Understanding how the IFR may affect the business of behavioral healthcare and the decisions that follow will be of great importance to all interested parties, including health insurance companies, health plans, employers, providers, and consumers of behavioral healthcare.

Full report: Implementing Parity: Investing in Behavioral Health (PDF | 94.95 KB) 

Milliman Inc.  (2010).  Implementing parity: investing in behavioral health.  Melek, S.