Bill > SB22

This bill requires health care service plans and health insurers to submit annual reports to state departments starting October 1, 2014, certifying their compliance with mental health parity laws, including the federal Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA), which aims to ensure that mental health and substance use disorder benefits are covered at the same level as medical and surgical benefits. These reports must include surveys of enrollees and providers regarding their experiences with mental health and substance use care, and the departments will develop standards for these reports to ensure consistency and comparability. The bill also mandates that by January 1, 2020, the departments will report to the Legislature on the information gathered and any regulatory actions taken, while ensuring that no personally identifiable information of enrollees or insureds is included in the reports. This legislation does not apply to Medi-Cal beneficiaries.