Kaiser Permanente Announces Initiatives To Enhance Mental Health Care; Will Pay Fine Of $4 Million For Previous Violations

On September 9, 2014, Kaiser Permanente announced it launched a California-wide initiative to enhance mental health care services for its members. As part of this initiative, on September 8, 2014, Kaiser informed the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) that it would pay a $4 million fine assessed in 2013 against the plan due to serious deficiencies associated with the plan’s provision of behavioral health services. Although it will pay the fine, Kaiser maintains that it did not violate the timely access rules and believes that DMHC contradicted its own rules by levying the penalties.

The key elements . . .