CMS Letter to State Health Officials About Implementation of Mental Health Parity in Children’s Health Insurance Program State Plans
November 4, 2009 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services distributed the letter to advise state health officials on how to implement mental health and substance use disorder parity in all Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) state plans. The letter provides preliminary guidance related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA), which applies to group health plans for plan years beginning on or after October 3, 2009.For Medicaid, MHPAEA provisions apply only if the state Medicaid agency contracts with one or more managed care organizations (MCOs) or prepaid inpatient health plans (PIHPs) to . . .
