Prevents discrimination by insurers based on an individual's mental health or substance use disorder; incorporates into law federal enforcement rules set forth in the federal mental health parity and addiction equity act of 2008.
Impact
The implementation of A08839 may significantly enhance the accessibility of mental health and substance use disorder services for policyholders in New York. By mandating that insurers provide meaningful benefits across all classifications where medical and surgical benefits are offered, the bill aims to reduce gaps in care that have historically resulted in lesser treatment for mental health issues. Furthermore, the legislation calls for insurers to collect and evaluate data to assess the impact of their benefit designs on access to these vital services, thereby increasing oversight and accountability.
Summary
Bill A08839 seeks to amend existing insurance law to prevent discrimination by insurers based on individuals' mental health and substance use disorders. The proposed legislation aims to incorporate the federal standards established under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 into state law, ensuring that health insurance plans provide equitable access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits in comparison to medical and surgical services. The bill requires insurers to ensure that their plan benefit designs are non-discriminatory and comply with established parity regulations.
Contention
Despite the positive implications, the bill may also provoke contention regarding compliance and the administrative burden placed on insurers. Critics may argue that the extensive reporting and data collection measures outlined in the bill could lead to increased operational costs for health plans. Additionally, there might be concerns regarding the potential for regulatory overreach if compliance with the detailed reporting requirements becomes overly stringent, raising questions about the balance between ensuring parity and the administrative feasibility for insurance providers.
Same As
Prevents discrimination by insurers based on an individual's mental health or substance use disorder; incorporates into law federal enforcement rules set forth in the federal mental health parity and addiction equity act of 2008.
Requires the superintendent of financial services to audit certain reports to ensure such insurers are in full compliance with federal and state mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
Requires mental health practitioners to receive training on substance use disorder, the specific needs of the substance use disorder community and co-occurring disorders.
Directs the state comptroller to conduct an audit of the department of financial services to ensure the agency is meeting its responsibility to evaluate and assess insurer compliance with federal and state mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
Replaces certain appearances of the words addict, addicts and addiction with the words person with a substance use disorder, person with a mental health disorder, person with co-occurring disorder, person in recovery, or a variation thereof.
Establishes an intensive addiction recovery and mental health integrated services pilot program to support two three-year demonstration programs that provide intensive addiction and mental health integrated services to individuals with significant addiction and mental health issues who have had multiple and frequent treatment episodes.
Establishes an intensive addiction recovery and mental health integrated services pilot program to support two three-year demonstration programs that provide intensive addiction and mental health integrated services to individuals with significant addiction and mental health issues who have had multiple and frequent treatment episodes.
Requires the commissioner of the office of addiction services and supports to require mental health evaluations for participants in substance use disorder treatment programs and to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate such requirement.
Prevents discrimination by insurers based on an individual's mental health or substance use disorder; incorporates into law federal enforcement rules set forth in the federal mental health parity and addiction equity act of 2008.