CMS Proposes a Mental Health Parity Rule for Medicaid & CHIP!

The Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) proposed a mental health parity rule on April 6th for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid.

The proposed rule would align mental health and substance use disorder benefits for low-income Americans with benefits required of private health plans and insurance and would apply certain provisions of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 to Medicaid and CHIP.

It would ensure that all beneficiaries who receive services through managed care organizations or other benefit plans have access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits regardless of whether services are provided through the managed care organization or another service delivery system.

Vikki Wachino, acting director, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services said “Improving quality and access to care impacts the health of our nation. Whether private insurance, Medicaid, or CHIP, all Americans deserve access to quality mental health services and substance use disorder services.”

To learn more about the proposed rule click here to link to the entire Federation of Families press release for additional information.

Or go to http://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/by-topics/benefits/mental-health-services.html.

The proposed rule is currently on display at www.federalregister.gov and will be published in the Federal Register on April 10, 2015. The deadline to submit comments is June 9, 2015.