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(B) other activities as the Assistant Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
(c) DURATION.—A grant under this section shall be 
for a period of not more than 5 years. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 
for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2022. 
(2) USE OF CERTAIN FUNDS.—Of the funds ap-
propriated to carry out this section in any fiscal 
year, the lesser of 5 percent of such funds or 
$500,000 shall be available to the Assistant Sec-
retary for purposes of carrying out subsection (b). 
SEC. 720. CRISIS INTERVENTION GRANTS FOR POLICE OF-
FICERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary for Men-
tal Health and Substance Use may award grants to enti-
ties such as law enforcement agencies and first respond-
ers— 
(1) to provide specialized training to law en-
forcement officers, corrections officers, paramedics, 
emergency medical services workers, and other first 
responders (including village public safety officers 
(as defined in section 247 of the Indian Arts and 
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Crafts Amendments Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd 
note)))— 
(A) to recognize individuals who have men-
tal illness and how to properly intervene with 
individuals with mental illness; and 
(B) to establish programs that enhance the 
ability of law enforcement agencies to address 
the mental health, behavioral, and substance 
use problems of individuals encountered in the 
line of duty; and 
(2) to establish collaborative law enforcement 
and mental health programs, including behavioral 
health response teams and mental health crisis inter-
vention teams comprised of mental health profes-
sionals, law enforcement officers, and other first re-
sponders, as appropriate, to provide on-site, face-to- 
face, mental and behavioral health care services dur-
ing a mental health crisis, and to connect the indi-
vidual in crisis to appropriate community-based 
treatment services in lieu of unnecessary hospitaliza-
tion or further involvement with the criminal justice 
system. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
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$9,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 
2020. 
SEC. 721. DEMONSTRATION GRANT PROGRAM TO TRAIN 
HEALTH SERVICE PSYCHOLOGISTS IN COM-
MUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall establish a grant program under 
which the Assistant Secretary of Mental Health and Sub-
stance Use Disorders may award grants to eligible institu-
tions to support the recruitment, education, and clinical 
training experiences of health services psychology stu-
dents, interns, and postdoctoral residents for education 
and clinical experience in community mental health set-
tings. 
(b) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS.—For purposes of this 
section, the term ‘‘eligible institutions’’ includes American 
Psychological Association-accredited doctoral, internship, 
and postdoctoral residency schools or programs in health 
service psychology that— 
(1) are focused on the development and imple-
mentation of interdisciplinary training of psychology 
graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in pro-
viding mental and behavioral health services to ad-
dress substance use disorders, serious emotional dis-
turbance, and serious illness, as well as developing 
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faculty and implementing curriculum to prepare psy-
chologists to work with underserved populations; and 
(2) demonstrate an ability to train health serv-
ice psychologists in psychiatric hospitals, forensic 
hospitals, community mental health centers, commu-
nity health centers, federally qualified health centers, 
or adult and juvenile correctional facilities. 
(c) PRIORITIES.—In selecting grant recipients under 
this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible in-
stitutions in which training focuses on the needs of indi-
viduals with serious mental illness, serious emotional dis-
turbance, justice-involved youth, and individuals with or 
at high risk for substance use disorders. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$12,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 
2022. 
SEC. 
722. 
INVESTMENT 
IN 
TOMORROW’S 
PEDIATRIC 
HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE. 
Section 775(e) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 295f(e)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $12,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 
through 2022.’’. 
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SEC. 723. CUTGO COMPLIANCE. 
Section 319D(f) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 247d–4(f)) is amended by striking ‘‘$138,300,000 
for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘$138,300,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2016 
and $58,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 and 2018’’. 
TITLE VIII—MENTAL HEALTH 
PARITY 
SEC. 801. ENHANCED COMPLIANCE WITH MENTAL HEALTH 
AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER COVERAGE 
REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) 
COMPLIANCE
PROGRAM
GUIDANCE
DOCU-
MENT.—Section 2726(a) of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 300gg–26(a)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(6) COMPLIANCE PROGRAM GUIDANCE DOCU-
MENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 12 
months after the date of enactment of the 
Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act 
of 2016, the Secretary, the Secretary of Labor, 
and the Secretary of the Treasury, in consulta-
tion with the Inspector General of the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services, shall 
issue a compliance program guidance document 
to help improve compliance with this section, 
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section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974, and section 9812 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as applicable. 
‘‘(B) EXAMPLES
ILLUSTRATING
COMPLI-
ANCE AND NONCOMPLIANCE.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The compliance 
program 
guidance 
document 
required 
under this paragraph shall provide illus-
trative, de-identified examples (that do not 
disclose any protected health information 
or individually identifiable information) of 
previous findings of compliance and non-
compliance with this section, section 712 of 
the Employee Retirement Income Security 
Act of 1974, or section 9812 of the Inter-
nal Revenue Code of 1986, as applicable, 
based on investigations of violations of 
such sections, including— 
‘‘(I) examples illustrating re-
quirements for information disclosures 
and nonquantitative treatment limita-
tions; and 
‘‘(II) descriptions of the viola-
tions uncovered during the course of 
such investigations. 
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‘‘(ii) NONQUANTITATIVE TREATMENT 
LIMITATIONS.—To the extent that any ex-
ample described in clause (i) involves a 
finding of compliance or noncompliance 
with regard to any requirement for non-
quantitative treatment limitations, the ex-
ample shall provide sufficient detail to fully 
explain such finding, including a full de-
scription of the criteria involved for med-
ical and surgical benefits and the criteria 
involved for mental health and substance 
use disorder benefits. 
‘‘(iii) ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL INFOR-
MATION REGARDING COMPLIANCE.—In de-
veloping and issuing the compliance pro-
gram guidance document required under 
this paragraph, the Secretaries specified in 
subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(I) shall enter into interagency 
agreements with the Inspector Gen-
eral of the Department of Health and 
Human Services, the Inspector Gen-
eral of the Department of Labor, and 
the Inspector General of the Depart-
ment of the Treasury to share find-
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ings of compliance and noncompliance 
with this section, section 712 of the 
Employee Retirement Income Security 
Act of 1974, or section 9812 of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as 
applicable; and 
‘‘(II) shall seek to enter into an 
agreement with a State to share infor-
mation on findings of compliance and 
noncompliance with this section, sec-
tion 712 of the Employee Retirement 
Income Security Act of 1974, or sec-
tion 9812 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986, as applicable. 
‘‘(C) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The compli-
ance program guidance document shall include 
recommendations to comply with this section, 
section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974, or section 9812 of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986, as applicable, and 
encourage the development and use of internal 
controls to monitor adherence to applicable 
statutes, regulations, and program require-
ments. Such internal controls may include a 
compliance checklist with illustrative examples 
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of nonquantitative treatment limitations on 
mental health and substance use disorder bene-
fits, which may fail to comply with this section, 
section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974, or section 9812 of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986, as applicable, in 
relation to nonquantitative treatment limita-
tions on medical and surgical benefits. 
‘‘(D) UPDATING
THE
COMPLIANCE
PRO-
GRAM GUIDANCE DOCUMENT.—The compliance 
program guidance document shall be updated 
every 2 years to include illustrative, de-identi-
fied examples (that do not disclose any pro-
tected health information or individually identi-
fiable information) of previous findings of com-
pliance and noncompliance with this section, 
section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974, or section 9812 of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986, as applicable.’’. 
(b) ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE.—Section 2726(a) of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–26(a)), as 
amended by subsection (a), is further amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of the Helping 
Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2016, 
the Secretary, in coordination with the Sec-
retary of Labor and the Secretary of the Treas-
ury, shall issue guidance to group health plans 
and health insurance issuers offering group or 
individual health insurance coverage to assist 
such plans and issuers in satisfying the require-
ments of this section, section 712 of the Em-
ployee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 
or section 9812 of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986, as applicable,. 
‘‘(B) DISCLOSURE.— 
‘‘(i) GUIDANCE
FOR
PLANS
AND 
ISSUERS.—The guidance issued under this 
paragraph shall include clarifying informa-
tion and illustrative examples of methods 
that group health plans and health insur-
ance issuers offering group or individual 
health insurance coverage may use for dis-
closing information to ensure compliance 
with the requirements under this section, 
section 712 of the Employee Retirement 
Income Security Act of 1974, or section 
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9812 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986, as applicable, (and any regulations 
promulgated pursuant to such sections, as 
applicable). 
‘‘(ii) DOCUMENTS FOR PARTICIPANTS, 
BENEFICIARIES, CONTRACTING PROVIDERS, 
OR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES.—The 
guidance issued under this paragraph shall 
include clarifying information and illus-
trative examples of methods that group 
health plans and health insurance issuers 
offering group or individual health insur-
ance coverage may use to provide any par-
ticipant, beneficiary, contracting provider, 
or authorized representative, as applicable, 
with documents containing information 
that the health plans or issuers are re-
quired to disclose to participants, bene-
ficiaries, contracting providers, or author-
ized representatives to ensure compliance 
with this section, section 712 of the Em-
ployee Retirement Income Security Act of 
1974, or section 9812 of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986, as applicable; any reg-
ulation issued pursuant to such respective 
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section, or any other applicable law or reg-
ulation, including information that is com-
parative in nature with respect to— 
‘‘(I) nonquantitative treatment 
limitations for both medical and sur-
gical benefits and mental health and 
substance use disorder benefits; 
‘‘(II) the processes, strategies, 
evidentiary standards, and other fac-
tors used to apply the limitations de-
scribed in subclause (I); and 
‘‘(III) the application of the limi-
tations described in subclause (I) to 
ensure that such limitations are ap-
plied in parity with respect to both 
medical and surgical benefits and 
mental health and substance use dis-
order benefits. 
‘‘(C) NONQUANTITATIVE TREATMENT LIM-
ITATIONS.—The guidance issued under this 
paragraph shall include clarifying information 
and illustrative examples of methods, processes, 
strategies, evidentiary standards, and other fac-
tors that group health plans and health insur-
ance issuers offering group or individual health 
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insurance coverage may use regarding the de-
velopment and application of nonquantitative 
treatment limitations to ensure compliance with 
this section, section 712 of the Employee Re-
tirement Income Security Act of 1974, or sec-
tion 9812 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986, as applicable, (and any regulations pro-
mulgated pursuant to such respective section), 
including— 
‘‘(i) examples of methods of deter-
mining appropriate types of nonquantita-
tive treatment limitations with respect to 
both medical and surgical benefits and 
mental health and substance use disorder 
benefits, including nonquantitative treat-
ment limitations pertaining to— 
‘‘(I) medical management stand-
ards based on medical necessity or ap-
propriateness, or whether a treatment 
is experimental or investigative; 
‘‘(II) limitations with respect to 
prescription drug formulary design; 
and 
‘‘(III) use of fail-first or step 
therapy protocols; 
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‘‘(ii) examples of methods of deter-
mining— 
‘‘(I) network admission standards 
(such as credentialing); and 
‘‘(II) factors used in provider re-
imbursement methodologies (such as 
service type, geographic market, de-
mand for services, and provider sup-
ply, practice size, training, experience, 
and licensure) as such factors apply to 
network adequacy; 
‘‘(iii) examples of sources of informa-
tion that may serve as evidentiary stand-
ards for the purposes of making deter-
minations regarding the development and 
application of nonquantitative treatment 
limitations; 
‘‘(iv) examples of specific factors, and 
the evidentiary standards used to evaluate 
such factors, used by such plans or issuers 
in performing a nonquantitative treatment 
limitation analysis; 
‘‘(v) examples of how specific evi-
dentiary standards may be used to deter-
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mine whether treatments are considered 
experimental or investigative; 
‘‘(vi) examples of how specific evi-
dentiary standards may be applied to each 
service category or classification of bene-
fits; 
‘‘(vii) examples of methods of reach-
ing appropriate coverage determinations 
for new mental health or substance use 
disorder treatments, such as evidence- 
based early intervention programs for indi-
viduals with a serious mental illness and 
types of medical management techniques; 
‘‘(viii) examples of methods of reach-
ing appropriate coverage determinations 
for which there is an indirect relationship 
between the covered mental health or sub-
stance use disorder benefit and a tradi-
tional covered medical and surgical benefit, 
such as residential treatment or hos-
pitalizations involving voluntary or involun-
tary commitment; and 
‘‘(ix) additional illustrative examples 
of methods, processes, strategies, evi-
dentiary standards, and other factors for 
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which the Secretary determines that addi-
tional guidance is necessary to improve 
compliance with this section, section 712 of 
the Employee Retirement Income Security 
Act of 1974, or section 9812 of the Inter-
nal Revenue Code of 1986, as applicable. 
‘‘(D) PUBLIC COMMENT.—Prior to issuing 
any final guidance under this paragraph, the 
Secretary shall provide a public comment period 
of not less than 60 days during which any 
member of the public may provide comments on 
a draft of the guidance.’’. 
(c) AVAILABILITY OF PLAN INFORMATION.— 
(1) PHSA AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (4) of 
section 2726(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 300gg–26(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) AVAILABILITY OF PLAN INFORMATION.— 
The criteria for medical necessity determinations 
made under the plan or health insurance coverage 
with respect to mental health or substance use dis-
order benefits or medical or surgical benefits, the 
reason for denial of any such benefits, and any other 
information appropriate to demonstrate compliance 
under this section (including any such medical and 
surgical information) shall be made available by the 
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HR 2646 RDS
plan administrator (or the health insurance issuer 
offering such coverage) in accordance with applicable 
regulations to the current or potential participant, 
beneficiary, or contracting provider involved upon re-
quest. The Secretary may promulgate any such reg-
ulations, including interim final regulations or tem-
porary regulations, as may be appropriate to carry 
out this paragraph.’’. 
(2) ERISA AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (4) of 
section 712(a) of the Employee Retirement Income 
Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1185a(a)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) AVAILABILITY OF PLAN INFORMATION.— 
The criteria for medical necessity determinations 
made under the plan with respect to mental health 
or substance use disorder benefits or medical or sur-
gical benefits (or the health insurance coverage of-
fered in connection with the plan with respect to 
such benefits), the reason for denial of any such 
benefits, and any other information appropriate to 
demonstrate compliance under this section (includ-
ing any such medical and surgical information) shall 
be made available by the plan administrator (or the 
health insurance issuer offering such coverage) in 
accordance with applicable regulations to the current 
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HR 2646 RDS
or potential participant, beneficiary, or contracting 
provider involved upon request. The Secretary may 
promulgate any such regulations, including interim 
final regulations or temporary regulations, as may 
be appropriate to carry out this paragraph.’’. 
(3) IRC AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (4) of sec-
tion 9812(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) AVAILABILITY OF PLAN INFORMATION.— 
The criteria for medical necessity determinations 
made under the plan with respect to mental health 
or substance use disorder benefits or medical or sur-
gical benefits, the reason for denial of any such ben-
efits, and any other information appropriate to dem-
onstrate compliance under this section (including 
any such medical and surgical information) shall be 
made available by the plan administrator in accord-
ance with applicable regulations to the current or 
potential participant, beneficiary, or contracting pro-
vider involved upon request. The Secretary may pro-
mulgate any such regulations, including interim final 
regulations or temporary regulations, as may be ap-
propriate to carry out this paragraph.’’. 
(d) IMPROVING COMPLIANCE.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case that the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary 
of Labor, or the Secretary of the Treasury deter-
mines that a group health plan or health insurance 
issuer offering group or individual health insurance 
coverage has violated, at least five times, section 
2726 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
300gg–26), section 712 of the Employee Retirement 
Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1185a), or 
section 9812 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
respectively, the appropriate Secretary shall audit 
plan documents for such health plan or issuer in the 
plan year following the Secretary’s determination in 
order to help improve compliance with such section. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed to limit the authority, 
as in effect on the day before the date of enactment 
of this Act, of the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, the Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary of 
the Treasury to audit documents of health plans or 
health insurance issuers. 
SEC. 802. ACTION PLAN FOR ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT OF 
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DIS-
ORDER COVERAGE. 
(a) PUBLIC MEETING.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services shall convene 
a public meeting of stakeholders described in para-
graph (2) to produce an action plan for improved 
Federal and State coordination related to the en-
forcement of section 2726 of the Public Health Serv-
ice Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–26), section 712 of the 
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 
(29 U.S.C. 1185a), and section 9812 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986, and any comparable provi-
sions of State law (in this section collectively re-
ferred to as ‘‘mental health parity and addiction eq-
uity requirements’’). 
(2) STAKEHOLDERS.—The stakeholders de-
scribed in this paragraph shall include each of the 
following: 
(A) The Federal Government, including 
representatives from— 
(i) the Department of Health and 
Human Services; 
(ii) the Department of the Treasury; 
(iii) the Department of Labor; and 
(iv) the Department of Justice. 
(B) State governments, including— 
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(i) State health insurance commis-
sioners; 
(ii) appropriate State agencies, includ-
ing agencies on public health or mental 
health; and 
(iii) State attorneys general or other 
representatives of State entities involved in 
the enforcement of mental health parity 
and addiction equity requirements. 
(C) Representatives from key stakeholder 
groups, including— 
(i) the National Association of Insur-
ance Commissioners; 
(ii) health insurance providers; 
(iii) providers of mental health and 
substance use disorder treatment; 
(iv) employers; and 
(v) patients or their advocates. 
(b) ACTION PLAN.—Not later than 6 months after 
the conclusion of the public meeting under subsection (a), 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall finalize 
the action plan described in such subsection and make it 
plainly available on the Internet website of the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services. 
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(c) CONTENT.—The action plan under this section 
shall— 
(1) reflect the input of the stakeholders partici-
pating in the public meeting under subsection (a); 
(2) identify specific strategic objectives regard-
ing how the various Federal and State agencies 
charged with enforcement of mental health parity 
and addiction equity requirements will collaborate to 
improve enforcement of such requirements; 
(3) provide a timeline for implementing the ac-
tion plan; and 
(4) provide specific examples of how such objec-
tives may be met, which may include— 
(A) providing common educational infor-
mation and documents to patients about their 
rights under mental health parity and addiction 
equity requirements; 
(B) facilitating the centralized collection 
of, monitoring of, and response to patient com-
plaints or inquiries relating to mental health 
parity and addiction equity requirements, which 
may be through the development and adminis-
tration of a single, toll-free telephone number 
and an Internet website portal; 
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(C) Federal and State law enforcement 
agencies entering into memoranda of under-
standing to better coordinate enforcement re-
sponsibilities and information sharing, including 
whether such agencies should make the results 
of enforcement actions related to mental health 
parity and addiction equity requirements pub-
licly available; and 
(D) recommendations to the Congress re-
garding the need for additional legal authority 
to improve enforcement of mental health parity 
and addiction equity requirements, including 
the need for additional legal authority to ensure 
that nonquantitative treatment limitations are 
applied, and the extent and frequency of the ap-
plications of such limitations, both to medical 
and surgical benefits and to mental health and 
substance use disorder benefits in a comparable 
manner. 
SEC. 803. REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING PAR-
ITY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE 
USE DISORDER BENEFITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 
the subsequent 5 years, the Administrator of the Centers 
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for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in collaboration with 
the Assistant Secretary of Labor of the Employee Benefits 
Security Administration and the Secretary of the Treas-
ury, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate 
a report summarizing the results of all closed Federal in-
vestigations completed during the preceding 12-month pe-
riod with findings of any serious violation regarding com-
pliance with mental health and substance use disorder cov-
erage requirements under section 2726 of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–26), section 712 of 
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 
(29 U.S.C. 1185a), and section 9812 of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986. 
(b) CONTENTS.—Subject to subsection (c), a report 
under subsection (a) shall, with respect to investigations 
described in such subsection, include each of the following: 
(1) The number of closed Federal investigations 
conducted during the covered reporting period. 
(2) Each benefit classification examined by any 
such investigation conducted during the covered re-
porting period. 
(3) Each subject matter, including compliance 
with requirements for quantitative and nonquantita-
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tive treatment limitations, of any such investigation 
conducted during the covered reporting period. 
(4) A summary of the basis of the final decision 
rendered for each closed investigation conducted 
during the covered reporting period that resulted in 
a finding of a serious violation. 
(c) LIMITATION.—Any individually identifiable infor-
mation shall be excluded from reports under subsection 
(a) consistent with protections under the health privacy 
and security rules promulgated under section 264(c) of the 
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 
1996 (42 U.S.C. 1320d–2 note). 
SEC. 804. GAO STUDY ON PARITY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND 
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER BENEFITS. 
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of the 
Treasury, shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
Senate a report detailing the extent to which group health 
plans or health insurance issuers offering group or indi-
vidual health insurance coverage that provides both med-
ical and surgical benefits and mental health or substance 
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use disorder benefits, medicaid managed care organiza-
tions with a contract under section 1903(m) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(m)), and health plans pro-
vided under the State Children’s Health Insurance Pro-
gram under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) comply with section 2726 of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–26), section 
712 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
1974 (29 U.S.C. 1185a), and section 9812 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986, including— 
(1) how nonquantitative treatment limitations, 
including medical necessity criteria, of such plans or 
issuers comply with such sections; 
(2) how the responsible Federal departments 
and agencies ensure that such plans or issuers com-
ply with such sections, including an assessment of 
how the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
has used its authority to conduct audits of such 
plans to ensure compliance; 
(3) a review of how the various Federal and 
State agencies responsible for enforcing mental 
health parity requirements have improved enforce-
ment of such requirements in accordance with the 
objectives and timeline described in the action plan 
under section 802; and 
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(4) recommendations for how additional en-
forcement, education, and coordination activities by 
responsible Federal and State departments and 
agencies could better ensure compliance with such 
sections, including recommendations regarding the 
need for additional legal authority. 
SEC. 805. INFORMATION AND AWARENESS ON EATING DIS-
ORDERS. 
(a) INFORMATION.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) may— 
(1) update information, related fact sheets, and 
resource lists related to eating disorders that are 
available on the public Internet website of the Na-
tional Women’s Health Information Center spon-
sored by the Office on Women’s Health, to include— 
(A) updated findings and current research 
related to eating disorders, as appropriate; and 
(B) information about eating disorders, in-
cluding information related to males and fe-
males; 
(2) incorporate, as appropriate, and in coordi-
nation with the Secretary of Education, information 
from publicly available resources into appropriate 
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obesity prevention programs developed by the Office 
on Women’s Health; and 
(3) make publicly available (through a public 
Internet website or other method) information, re-
lated fact sheets and resource lists, as updated 
under paragraph (1), and the information incor-
porated into appropriate obesity prevention pro-
grams, as updated under paragraph (2). 
(b) AWARENESS.—The Secretary may advance public 
awareness on— 
(1) the types of eating disorders; 
(2) the seriousness of eating disorders, includ-
ing prevalence, comorbidities, and physical and men-
tal health consequences; 
(3) methods to identify, intervene, refer for 
treatment, and prevent behaviors that may lead to 
the development of eating disorders; 
(4) discrimination and bullying based on body 
size; 
(5) the effects of media on self-esteem and body 
image; and 
(6) the signs and symptoms of eating disorders. 
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SEC. 806. EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON EATING DIS-
ORDERS. 
The Secretary of Health and Human Services may 
facilitate the identification of programs to educate and 
train health professionals and school personnel in effective 
strategies to— 
(1) identify individuals with eating disorders; 
(2) provide early intervention services for indi-
viduals with eating disorders; 
(3) refer patients with eating disorders for ap-
propriate treatment; 
(4) prevent the development of eating disorders; 
or 
(5) provide appropriate treatment services for 
individuals with eating disorders. 
SEC. 807. GAO STUDY ON PREVENTING DISCRIMINATORY 
COVERAGE LIMITATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS 
WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUB-
STANCE USE DISORDERS. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to Congress and make publicly avail-
able a report detailing Federal oversight of group health 
plans and health insurance coverage offered in the indi-
vidual or group market (as such terms are defined in sec-
tion 2791 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
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300gg–91)), including Medicaid managed care plans 
under section 1903 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396b), to ensure compliance of such plans and coverage 
with sections 2726 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 300gg–26), 712 of the Employee Retirement In-
come Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1185a), and 9812 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (in this section col-
lectively referred to as the ‘‘parity law’’), including— 
(1) a description of how Federal regulations 
and guidance consider nonquantitative treatment 
limitations, including medical necessity criteria and 
application of such criteria to medical, surgical, and 
primary care, of such plans and coverage in ensuring 
compliance by such plans and coverage with the par-
ity law; 
(2) a description of actions that Federal depart-
ments and agencies are taking to ensure that such 
plans and coverage comply with the parity law; and 
(3) the identification of enforcement, education, 
and coordination activities within Federal depart-
ments and agencies, including educational activities 
directed to State insurance commissioners, and a de-
scription of how such proper activities can be used 
to ensure full compliance with the parity law. 
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SEC. 808. CLARIFICATION OF EXISTING PARITY RULES. 
If a group health plan or a health insurance issuer 
offering group or individual health insurance coverage pro-
vides coverage for eating disorder benefits, including resi-
dential treatment, such group health plan or health insur-
ance issuer shall provide such benefits consistent with the 
requirements of section 2726 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–26), section 712 of the Employee 
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 
1185a), and section 9812 of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 6, 2016. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
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