Final Rule: Application of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorder Parity Requirements to Medicaid Managed Care, CHIP, and Benchmark Coverage (CMS-2333-F)

Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule to strengthen access to mental health and substance use services for people with Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage, aligning with protections already required of health plans in the commercial market. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 generally requires that health insurance plans treat mental health and substance use disorder benefits on equal footing as medical and surgical benefits.

The protections set forth in this final rule will benefit the over 23 million people enrolled in Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs), Medicaid alternative benefit plans (ABPs), and CHIP.  Currently, states have flexibility to provide services through a managed care delivery mechanism using entities other than Medicaid managed care organizations, such as prepaid inpatient health plans or prepaid ambulatory health plans.

The final rule is currently on display at https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection.

For more information, visit Medicaid.gov at http://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/by-topics/benefits/mental-health-services.html.