OPM Issues Guidance for Implementation of Parity Legislation in Federal Health Plans

OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire Mental Health & Chemical Dependency Services The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHB) was the first federal agency to advise health plans on how to meet the requirements of the Wellstone and Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008. FEHB plans have had mental health parity provisions since 2001, but some inequities existed between medical and mental health coverage. In its April 2009 call letter for 2010 plan proposals OPM clarified the methods health plans could use to manage service utilization . . .