Ohio Medicaid Achieves Behavioral Health Parity

The Ohio Departments of Medicaid and Mental Health and Addiction Services recently announced that the July 1, 2018 integration of Medicaid behavioral health redesign and physical health care benefits also will achieve the state’s longstanding goal for parity between those benefits. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 defines parity and specifically prevents health plans from imposing less favorable benefit limitations on mental health or addiction disorder benefits than on medical/surgical benefits.

Ohio Medicaid assessed its benefits following guidance provided by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and, effective July 1, assured compliance . . .