Mental Health And Substance Abuse: What Benefit Plan Sponsors Need To Know In Light Of DOL’s Increased Mental Health Parity Enforcement

HRTrainingCenter.com

Last year, the Department of Labor (DOL) stepped up enforcement of mental health parity requirements for group health plans. This represents a growing effort by the federal agency to ensure such plans align with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).

The DOL investigated 330 health-care plans for FY 2016 and found dozens of violations for MHPAEA non-compliance with most of the citations issued for how the plans handled non-quantitative treatment limits (NQTLs).

If your organization’s group health plan covers mental health and substance abuse disorders (MH/SUD), there are specific financial parity requirements the plans must meet concerning things like copays and deductibles. Also, parity is required concerning benefit limitations affecting the scope or duration of treatment. In total, there are six categories of benefits where parity between MH / SUD and medical / surgical coverage must be demonstrated.

Join us for an in-depth webinar designed for employers whose group health plans include MH / SUD offerings. Our presenter, a skilled employee benefits attorney, will explain the 2013 final MHPAEA rule requirements and the most common compliance trouble spots to watch out for.

You’ll learn:

• The most common ways MHPAEA violations occur with respect to NQTLs
  
• Key questions to ask, so you can evaluate whether your company is at high risk for DOL enforcement violations
  
• Potentially problematic healthcare plan treatment limits, including practices that deal with:
  • Pre-authorization for chronic disorders
    
  • In-patient / in-network treatment for mental health issues
    
  • Intensive outpatient programs for substance abuse treatment
    
  • And more
• When your employee assistance plan (EAP) offerings are covered under the MHPAEA, and when they aren’t
  
• And more

More Information, How to Register