Every once in awhile. The latest victory for people and
their loved ones in the challenge to attain, and maintain, long-term sobriety,
culminated in Governor Phil Murphy affixing his signature to the Parity Bill on
April 11. The legislation had been a priority for the NCADD-NJ Advocates, staff
and partners for many years. NCADD-NJ has convened and hosted the NJ Parity
Coalition for some time, and efforts intensified with the introduction of
Senate Bill 1339 and Assembly Bill 2031. The measure requires insurance
carriers to document steps they’ve taken to ensure their health plans are in
compliance with existing federal and state parity laws. These health insurance
policies would not be available for sale to the public without demonstrated
assurance that the plans are parity-compliant.
For more than ten years, federal law has mandated that
health insurance policies reimburse for mental health and substance use
treatment on a par with the manner in which there is reimbursement for
physical, medical and surgical conditions. The responsibility for implementing
these requirements, however, was given largely to the states. In the Garden
State, the responsibility falls mostly to the Department of Banking and
Insurance (DOBI). The Dept. must audit the plans, collect relevant data,
determine compliance, report annually to the Governor and Legislature as to
their findings, and place all relevant information that would be helpful to consumers
on its public website. Up to now, the process was complaint-driven. Consumers
would have to appeal an insurance denial, become conversant in parity
strictures, non-quantitative and non-qualitative treatment limits, and
essentially become insurance regulations experts. On June 11, when the new law
takes effect, it would be the obligation of insurance experts at DOBI to
certify that health insurance plans that are sold in the state guarantee to
offer what is advertised.
The enactment of this new statute is the fulfillment of the
quest of families who’ve been denied therapy coverage, service providers who’ve
been prevented from delivering needed treatment to their clients in need, and
to social justice advocates from every corner of the state. More than once
during his remarks at the Parity Bill Signing Ceremony, Governor Murphy thanked
the advocates “who got this bill to me.” This illuminates the point, that
little gets through the public policy process without the dedicated efforts of
citizen-advocates who draw attention to a problem, devise a solution, and press
decision-makers to be responsive. It was encouraging to note that the
Commissioners of the Departments of Human Services and Banking and Insurance
were also present at the April 11 event and pledged to ensure that the mandates
of the parity measure would be assertively enforced. Marlene Caride, DOBI
Commissioner, announced she would begin the work with a statewide series of
hearings to elicit from consumers their parity-related complaints and suggestions.
To ensure the new law is not a “dead letter,” NCADD-NJ and
its partners in the NJ Parity Coalition, know the next steps will be to monitor
and influence its enforcement. We will participate in the DOBI Listening Tour
and assist in collecting relevant data. We will involve ourselves in the
“rule-making” process at DOBI of promulgating the requisite regulations to
implement the parity statute. We will assist DOBI in designing an audit of the
insurance plans to collect the most relevant data on parity compliance. And we
will join in a public education campaign to let individuals and businesses know
of the protections of this new law.
The enactment of the parity bill is a superior achievement
for NCADD-NJ Advocates who called the Governor’s Office, communicated with
their elected officials, testified at public hearings, and spoke publicly in
the press, all about the need for this reform.
You can see the signing here:
Ed Martone
Policy Analyst
NCADD-NJ
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