What is a Violation of the MHPAEA? – More Follow Up to CSAP Webinar

As a result of CSAP’s recent webinar with staff from the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), CSAP members have been having extensive dialogue with DMHC staff. Recently, one member elevated the issue of the recent Blue Cross requirement for billing that has led to hundreds if not thousands of denials for care.  Blue Shield has recently demanded that documentation include the start and stop time of psychotherapy services including when performed as an add-on to E&M (medication management visits). DMHC has reached out to their Behavioral Health Investigation Team, and they will interview the concerned psychiatrists on this topic (and other barriers in general) for the current Anthem Blue Cross investigation. DMHC would also like to determine if there is a violation of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. You may read more regarding MHPAEA violations here. CSAP understands how difficult billing issues are for many of you, SYASL and its lobbyists do too. Please continue to share issues you are confronting with Paul Yoder at SYASL. This unfortunately won’t get solved overnight, but CSAP is determined to do as much as it can working with the DMHC and Department of Insurance to make parity more real in California.