Parity Implementation Assistance Act

Bill: 117-s-1962
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2021-06-07
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access

Health programs administration and funding

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2021-06-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-06-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Parity Implementation Assistance Act</strong></p> <p>This bill provides grants to assist states with the implementation of the federal mental health parity requirements. States receiving the grants must request and review from private health insurance plans their required comparative analysis of nonquantitative treatment limitations (NQTLs) with respect to mental health or substance use disorder benefits. (NQTLs are limitations on the scope or duration of benefits for treatment, such as preauthorization requirements.)</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1962 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 7, 2021 Mr. Murphy (for himself and Mr. Cassidy ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grant funding to States for mental health and substance use disorder parity implementation.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Parity Implementation Assistance Act . 2. Grants to support mental health and substance use disorder parity implementation (a) In general Section 2794(c) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300gg–94(c) ) (as added by section 1003 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( Public Law 111–148 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (3) Parity implementation (A) In general Beginning 60 days after the date of enactment of the Parity Implementation Assistance Act , the Secretary shall award grants to States to implement the mental health and substance use disorder parity provisions of section 2726, provided that in order to receive such a grant, a State is required to request and review from health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage the comparative analyses and other information required of such health insurance issuers under subsection (a)(8)(A) of such section 2726 regarding the design and application of nonquantitative treatment limitations imposed on mental health or substance use disorder benefits. (B) Authorization of appropriations For purposes of awarding grants under subparagraph (A), there are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for each of the first five fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this paragraph. . (b) Technical amendment Section 2794 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300gg–95 ), as added by section 6603 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( Public Law 111–148 ) is redesignated as section 2795.