Category Archives: Health Coverage

Health Insurance and Mental Health Services Factsheet

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MentalHealthMattersInfographicNew factsheet on Health Insurance and Mental Health Services courtesy of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

Health Insurance and Mental Health Services

Q: How does the Affordable Care Act help people with mental health issues?

Answer: The Affordable Care Act provides one of the largest expansions of mental health and substance use disorder coverage in a generation, by requiring that most individual and small employer health insurance plans, including all plans offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace cover mental health and substance use disorder services. Also required are rehabilitative and habilitative services that can help support people with behavioral health challenges. These new protections build on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) provisions to expand mental health and substance use disorder benefits and federal parity protections to an estimated 62 million Americans.

Because of the law, most health plans must now cover preventive services, like depression screening for adults and behavioral assessments for children, at no additional cost. And, as of 2014, most plans cannot deny you coverage or charge you more due to pre-existing health conditions, including mental illnesses.

Q: Does the Affordable Care Act require insurance plans to cover mental health benefits?

Answer: As of 2014, most individual and small group health insurance plans, including plans sold on the Marketplace are required to cover mental health and substance use disorder services. Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans also must cover mental health and substance use disorder services. These plans must have coverage of essential health benefits, which include 10 categories of benefits as defined under the health care law. One of those categories is mental health and substance use disorder services. Read more

How Obamacare Has Changed My Hospital

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Interesting article from Dr. Chester Kunnappilly, chief medical officer for San Mateo Medical Center and affiliated clinics in San Mateo County, on the impact the Affordable Care Act has had on the hospital and the system of care, and the transformation taking place to better meet the needs of their patients: How Obamacare Has Changed My Hospital.

 

2015 Enrollment Period for Covered California Now Open

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Do you have health coverage?  The Health System estimates that more than 30,000 County residents still need affordable health coverage and may qualify for financial help.  Enroll now to begin coverage on January 1, 2015.

If you already have coverage, be aware of the deadlines to renew or change existing Covered California health insurance.

Important Deadlines:

  • December 15, 2014 – enrollment deadline to begin coverage on January 1, 2015
  • December 15, 2014– deadline to renew or change existing Covered California health insurance to maintain continuous coverage, and to avoid paying a tax penalty.
  • February 15, 2015 – deadline to enroll in Covered California health coverage in 2015, and to apply for financial assistance.

Visit www.CoveredCA.com to enroll. Local in-person assistance is available by calling 650-616-2002 or 800-223-8383, and at locations across the County. See the list of enrollment locations and times as well as the languages spoken at each center.   Read more.

 

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