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States' and MCOs' Compliance With Mental Health Parity Requirements

The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) promotes equal access to treatment for mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) by prohibiting coverage limitations that apply more restrictively to MH/SUD benefits than medical or surgical benefits. Such limitations could include higher copayments, separate deductibles, and stricter preauthorization or medical necessity reviews, as compared to other covered medical treatments. Federal regulations require managed care organizations (MCOs) with plans that provide services to Medicaid enrollees to comply with the parity provisions of MHPAEA. Federal regulations require that States or their MCOs, as applicable, conduct analyses to demonstrate compliance with parity requirements. CMS reviews States' parity analyses as part of its review of States' MCO contracts. We will audit CMS's oversight of States' compliance with Federal parity requirements, including whether States and their MCOs conducted the required parity analyses and whether States ensured that their MCOs complied with certain parity requirements for MH/SUD benefits.

Announced or Revised Agency Title Component Report Number(s) Expected Issue Date (FY)
Completed (partial) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services States' and MCOs' Compliance With Mental Health Parity Requirements Office of Audit Services WA-22-0003 (W-00-22-31565);
A-02-22-01016		 2024