Essential Health Benefits - In December of 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a bulletin outlining proposed policies that will give states more flexibility to define essential health benefits that will be required in under the Affordable Care Act. This is of concern, especially in Michigan, one of eight states that do not have a state mental health parity law.
- HHS Informational Bulletin on Essential Health Services
- The Health Care Blog contemplates the complications.
- HHS asked the Institute of Medicine to recommend a process that would help HHS define the benefits that should be included in the Essential Health Benefits. Here is the IOM report.
MiHealth Marketplace - Michigan Insurance Exchange proposed by Governor Snyder. A robust exchange is significant for mental health parity, as the ACA requires all qualified health plans sold through state exhanges to include "Essential Health Benefits" which include mental health benefits.