Complete Story
01/10/2023
Ohio Mental Health Insurance Assistance Office at ODI for parity
OPPA applauds Governor DeWine's Executive Order 2023-04D, which establishes the Ohio Mental Health Insurance Assistance Office at the Ohio Department of Insurance ensuring vigilant compliance with mental health and addiction parity insurance laws.
The OPPA has been a strong advocate for vigilant regulation and oversight by ODI of mental health and addiction parity insurance laws.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office reports that consumers with coverage for mental health care experience limited access to in-network mental health providers and broader structural issues and as a result could face higher health care costs, delays in receiving care, or difficulties in finding a provider close.
Access to commercial and publicly funded mental health and addiction insurance benefits is vital to improved outcomes for Ohioans living with a mental health condition. Mental illness and addiction are treatable health conditions, and people recover to live full lives.
The order calls for the Ohio Department of Insurance to:
- Establish the Ohio Mental Health Insurance Assistance Office to help Ohioans identify and utilize their mental health and addiction insurance benefits.
- Provide consumer protection through education and vigilant regulation of insurers’ compliance with mental health and addiction parity insurance laws.
- Work collaboratively with employers, insurers, healthcare providers, and patient advocacy organizations to develop best practice standards for providing mental health and addiction insurance benefits.
