Senators call for parity audits

Late last week, several senators sent a letter to the leaders of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL), asking them to work harder to enforce parity. Patients are reporting difficulty in obtaining preapprovals for and access to treatment coverage, the 24 bipartisan senators said.

Health plans also are not disclosing their specific medical management criteria, making it difficult to determine if the plans are treating behavioral and physical health equally. While the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) has been law for seven years, the senators are calling for additional guidance. Further, they asked the two agencies to reveal whether any parity audits have been or will be conducted and where the information can be obtained.

Find the letter here.