EmblemHealth Settles With New York On Charges Of Mental Health Parity Violations

On July 9 2014, the New York Attorney General announced that EmblemHealth had agreed to correct multiple violations of the state and federal mental health parity laws, which occurred from January 2011 through the present, by reforming its behavioral health claims review process. Going forward, EmblemHealth will cover residential treatment for behavioral health disorders, and will charge the lower primary care copayment for outpatient visits to most mental health and addiction treatment provider organizations.  The Attorney General assessed a civil penalty of $1.2 million. EmblemHealth will also submit previously denied mental health and addiction treatment claims for independent review . . .