Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2015
Sponsored By: Representative Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
Unknown
Summary
Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and Internal Revenue Code to direct the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury to require group health plans and health insurers to disclose the analyses performed to ensure compliance of plans or coverage with the law and regulations. Disclosures must include findings and conclusions regarding whether nonquantitative treatment limitations (e.g., tiered benefits, step therapy, or preauthorization) applied to mental health or substance use disorder benefits are comparable to, and applied no more stringently than, such limitations on medical and surgical benefits. HHS, Labor, and Treasury must: (1) issue guidance on the process for current and potential participants and beneficiaries to file formal complaints of plans or insurers being in violation of the requirement for parity between mental health and substance use disorder benefits and medical and surgical benefits, (2) conduct audits of plans and insurers to determine compliance with parity requirements and publish information from those audits, and (3) publish information on denials of claims by plans and insurers for mental health and substance use disorder services compared to denials of claims for medical and surgical services. HHS must establish a consumer parity portal website that allows for submission of complaints and provides information to consumers on parity. The Government Accountability Office must report on HHS, Labor, and Treasury efforts to enforce parity.
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Bill Overview
No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kennedy, Joseph P., III [D-MA-4]
MA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/16/2015
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/16/2015
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 12/16/2015
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Sponsored 12/16/2015
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 1/6/2016
Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-16]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/6/2016
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 3/21/2016
ELIOT ENGEL
NY • D
Sponsored 6/16/2016
LOIS CAPPS
CA • D
Sponsored 6/21/2016
ROBERT BRADY
PA • D
Sponsored 6/21/2016
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/28/2016
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov