Parity


The Kennedy Forum is committed to the full implementation and enforcement of the Parity Law.
The Kennedy Forum is committed to the full implementation and enforcement of the Parity Law.
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA or Parity Law) promised equity in the insurance coverage of mental health and substance use disorder care, but years later mental health parity is still not a reality and too many Americans continue to be denied care when they need it the most. To fulfill the promise of the Parity law, we must hold health insurance plans accountable to comply with the letter and spirit of the law.
This will require significant leadership from our federal and state governments.— Patrick J. Kennedy
That is why the Kennedy Forum is working with policymakers and regulators to push for clear regulations and guidance to implement the law in the commercial market and in Medicaid managed care and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The Kennedy Forum is also calling for strong, public enforcement of the law.
Parity also depends in large part on consumers knowing their rights. The Kennedy Forum is committed to educating consumers and health care providers about the Parity law and providing them the tools and resources they need to ask for the treatment and services that are guaranteed under the law and to appeal denials of care when they occur.
Focus Group Participants
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Sarika Aggarwal, MD
Fallon Community Health Plan
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Meiram Bendat, JD,PhD
Psych Appeal
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Sarah E. Burns
Rosenfield Rafik & Sullivan, PC
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Luke Butler
Scattergood Foundation
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Mady Chalk
Treatment Research Institute
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Tim Clement
Scattergood Foundation
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Gary M. Cohen
Gary M. Cohen Consulting
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Nathaniel Counts, JD
Mental Health America
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Jason Cowart
Zuckerman Spaeder LLP
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Colleen Coyle
American Psychiatric Association
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Steve Daviss, MD
M3 Information
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Alice Dembner
Community Catalyst
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Catherine Dodd, PhD, RN
SF Health Service System
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Adam Easterday
Optum
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Adrienne Ellis
Mental Health Association of Maryland
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Mary Jane England, PhD
Boston University
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Joshua Feast
Cogito Corporation
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Marcelo Fernandez-Vina, MPH
Scattergood Foundation
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Stephen Fried
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the University of Pennsylvania
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Larry Goldman
Value Options
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Frederic S. Goldstein
Population Health Alliance
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Michael Gomes
BenefitMall
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Pamela Greenberg
Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness
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Karen Greenrose
American Association of Providers Provider Organizations
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Garielle de la Gueronniere, JD
Legal Action Center
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Ron Honberg
National Alliance on Mental Illness
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D. Brian Hufford Zuckerman Spaeder LLP
Zuckerman Spaeder LLP
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Lisa S. Kantor
Kantor & Kantor, LLP
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Roger Kathol, MD
Cartesian Solutions, Inc
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Lisa Landau
NYS Office of the Attorney General
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Cheri Lattimer
Case Management Association of America
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Bradley Lerner
Value Options
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Karla Lopez
Legal Action Center
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Martin Lustick, MD
Excellus BCBS
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Randy Madry
Preventing Colorectal Cancer
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Carol McDaid
Capitol Decisions
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Clare D. McGorrian
Health Law Advocates
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Beth Ann Middlebrook, JD
The Watershed Addiction
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Doug Moeller, MD
McKesson Health Solutions
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Irvin Muszynski
American Psychiatric Association
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Thomas Naughton
Maximus
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Julie O’Brien
Alicare Medical Management
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Samantha Olds
IL Association of Medicaid Health Plans
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Skyler Place, PhD
Cogito Corporation
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Renee Popovits
Popovits & Robinson, PC Linda Raines National Mental Health Association of Maryland
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Michael D. Reisman
Office of the New York State Attorney General
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Howard Rosen
LifeWire
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Stephen Rosenfeld
Rosenfeld Rafik & Sullivan, PC
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Elyn R. Saks
University of Southern California
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Paul Samuels
Legal Action Center
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Susan Sargent
Sargent Healthcare Management Advisors
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Matt Selig
Health Law Advocates
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Gib Smith
National Association of Independent Review Organizations
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Andrew Sperling
National Alliance on Mental Illness
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Kathryn Trepinski
Law Offices of Kathryn Trepinski
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Marilyn Vadon
American Psychiatric Association
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Margaret VanAmringe, MHS
Joint Commission
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Victoria Veltri, JD, LLM
State of Connecticut
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Abby Woodworth
Treatment Research Institute
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Ellen Weber
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
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Joy Johnson Wilson
National Conference of State Legislatures