Georgia Enacts Bill To Enforce Mental Health Parity

On April 4, 2022, the Georgia Mental Health Parity Act, House Bill 1013 (HB 1013) was signed into law to enforce mental health parity provisions of private health plans. Starting July 1, 2022, HB 1013 requires that mental health services be offered in the same way that physical illness is paid for by state insurance carriers, whether they be private, state, Medicaid, Medicare, or PeachCare (the state's health insurance for kids). Insurers are required to follow independent standards for medically necessary mental health and addiction treatment and will not be permitted to develop their own medical necessity criteria.

The . . .