CMS creates mailbox for questions on Medicaid/CHIP mental health parity rule

Health care providers and other stakeholders may email questions and concerns regarding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ final rule applying certain provisions of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 to Medicaid managed care organizations, Medicaid alternative benefit plans and the Children’s Health Insurance Program to parity@cms.hhs.gov, the agency announced yesterday. The rule was issued in late March. Technical assistance will begin this fall and continue through 2018, but questions can be submitted to the mailbox at any time, CMS said. The MHPAEA requires group health plans that offer mental health or substance use disorder benefits to provide them at parity with their medical/surgical benefits. For more information on mental health parity, visit www.aha.org/advocacy-issues/mentalhealth/parity.shtml.