“From the national opioid epidemic to disturbing rates of suicide, we see the consequences every day of untreated mental health and substance use disorders. Access to effective mental health and substance use disorder services can mean the difference between graduating from school and falling behind; between keeping a good job and becoming involved with the criminal justice system; between living a full life in recovery and dying by overdose or suicide. But if those services are needed, will your health insurance cover them in the same way it covers other medical treatment?
Six months ago, President Obama established a Federal Task Force to help make sure the answer is yes.
The Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force was led by the Domestic Policy Council and consisted of the Departments of Labor, the Treasury, Defense, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Our Task Force met with consumers, providers, employers, health plans, and State regulators, and read more than 1,100 public comments.
Today, we are presenting the President our final report, which includes a series of new actions and recommendations to ensure that insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services is comparable to—or at parity with—general medical care.”
Read more at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/10/27/our-report-president-mental-health-and-substance-use-disorder-parity
Source: WhiteHouse.gov – October 27, 2016
