Mental Health Parity in Medicare: Putting The Law Into The Regs

Aspects of Need addressed: Psychiatric, Medical, Financial

Last year the mental health community reached the promised land of Mental Health Parity when President Obama signed the Stimulus Bill to which the measure was amended. This made mental health care reimbursable by insurance companies at the same rate as regular medical care. This was a major step forward.

Now we have one segment of the regulations that will implement this legislation, courtesy of Open Minds, an excellent online information source for mental health issues.

Not that I have a lot of time to do so, but I like to read--or, should I say, try to read--such regulations to see how complex all of this can become. It offers a harbinger of what might be ahead with the implementation of ObamaCare.

Here's the summary:

I. SUMMARY OF CHANGES: Section 102 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) of 2008 amends section 1833(c) of the Social Security Act (the Act) to phase in a 5-year reduction to the payment that Medicare patients are required to make for outpatient mental health services that are subject to the outpatient mental health treatment limitation (the limitation). Payment for outpatient mental health services will gradually reduce from 2010-2014. Effective January 1, 2014, the limitation will no longer exist and Medicare will pay outpatient mental health services at the same level as other Part B services. Hence, the limitation will change as follows: 2009 and prior years=62.5 percent: 2010-2011=68.75 percent; 2012=75 percent; 2013=81.25 percent; and, 2014 and onward=100 percent.

Got that? Here's the link to the full text of this enacting regulation.