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On Jan. 29, the IRS and other federal agencies released their long-delayed interim final guidelines for the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. Under this law any insurer or employer that offers mental health benefits must cover mental illnesses and substance-abuse disorders on the same terms and conditions as other illnesses. With benefit design decisions needing to be made a few short months from now, health plans and sponsors should take immediate steps to understand what is required and prepare for this enormous change in health insurance. For health plans, the many major changes ahead include developing new ways of processing behavioral health claims, which before were typically not applied to a health plan’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximums. For plan sponsors, parity will result in an increase in employer-paid coinsurance amounts, which could lead to substantially increased utilization of behavioral health services and pharmaceuticals, resulting in high employer benefit costs. Join us on Thursday, Feb. 25, when two experts on the legislation and the new parity regs share their strategic insights on steps your organization must take to fully comply, and specific actions you can take to control costs while ensuring the availability of behavioral health care benefits. Key strategies that will be discussed in detail include:
Team-Wide Training at Its Best (and most cost- and time-efficient). Gather your management team around the table on February 25 for one low single-participant price. And photocopy for each of them as many copies of our printed materials as you need. Managers throughout your organization will learn how to comply with new final mental health parity regs. Special Benefit for Webinar Attendees When you register for this webinar on the new mental health parity regulations, you will receive a free copy of the 2nd edition of the comprehensive 52-page book COMPLYING WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH PARITY AND ADDICTION EQUITY ACT, written by experienced health benefits attorneys John R. Hickman, Esq., and Laurie Kirkwood, Esq., of the law firm Alston & Bird, LLP. Sold separately for $179, this work provides insightful tips for compliance and hands-on guidance for making complicated benefit design decisions that comply with the parity requirements. The book is currently being revised to reflect new regulatory requirements and will be issued (and provided to you at no charge) within the next six to eight weeks.
RHONDA ROBINSON BEALE, M.D., is chief medical officer for UnitedHealth Group subsidiary OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions, a provider of mental health and substance-abuse disorders solutions that help improve the overall health and well-being of more than 43 million Americans. Dr. Robinson Beale has more than 20 years of behavioral health and quality management experience. Among her many duties, she serves on the National Quality Forum board of directors and is co-chair for the Evidence-Based Practices to Treat Substance Use Disorders Steering Committee. Additionally, Dr. Robinson Beale serves on the board of directors for the American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association as well as the Washington Circle Policy, where she serves on the policy committee responsible for creating the Alcohol and Other Drugs measures for HEDIS. Dr. Robinson Beale received her medical degree from Wayne State University and her psychiatric training at Detroit Psychiatric Institute. She is certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. JOHN HICKMAN, Esq. is head of Health & Welfare Benefits in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group at the law firm Alston & Bird, LLP in Atlanta. Mr. Hickman also chairs the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation's technical advisory committee and is an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law. He is cited in "The Best Lawyers in America" for his health and welfare expertise. Moderator: Steve Davis, managing editor of AIS’s Health Plan Week
Executives, medical officers, clinical services directors, product developers, marketing directors, contracting officers, compliance directors, pharmacy benefit executives, financial managers, and actuaries and consultants at:
1. Register above (or call 800-521-4323 to register). 2. When you register, you will receive a confirmation by e-mail from AISconferences@aispub.com, with a toll-free number, password and Web link that you will use to connect to the Webinar on Thursday, February 25, 2010 (1:00 p.m. Eastern time).
3. For your convenience, you will receive a copy of the Printed Materials in PDF format by e-mail prior to the Webinar. These materials will include the same presentation you will view online during the Webinar. 4. Listen to the Webinar as you follow along with your Printed Materials. You will be able to view the presentation online as you listen on the phone. 5. The final segment of the Webinar will let you ask questions and get answers about how to comply with new final mental health parity regs. 6. Cancellation Policy: To cancel your registration for this event and receive a full refund, you must contact customer service at 800-521-4323 no later than 48 hours prior to the scheduled start of the Webinar. Any cancellations received after log- in information and supplemental materials have been sent (48 hours prior to the start of the Webinar) will receive a CD of the Webinar or a credit valid for one year. Your credit (the cost of the Webinar) will be applied toward the purchase of any AIS product or Webinar. Can't make it on February 25? Order the CD or On-Demand Recording and Printed Materials. Remember: A copyright release in the Printed Materials will permit you to make photocopies for each person listening to the Webinar and/or recording.
Please note that the On-Demand recordings will be available within 2-3 days of the conference and the CDs will be available within 2 weeks. CDs (and accompanying written materials) are shipped via UPS. Please give us your street address when you order (UPS does not deliver to PO boxes). You should receive your order within 5-7 business days.* Shipping cost is $5. The On-Demand Recording will be delivered as a link within a PDF file of the accompanying written materials. Shipping will NOT be charged for this item.
Rush Orders: Please call us at 800-521-4323 to place a rush order.* We will overnight your order for an additional charge of $30, or you can give us your FedEx or UPS account number and we will charge the shipping to your account. Rush orders placed after 3:00pm EST will not be shipped out until the next business day. *The On-Demand recordings will be available within 2-3 days of the conference and the CDs will be available within 2 weeks.
Listeners will also receive practical written information to supplement information covered by the Webinar speakers.
For further information call 800-521-4323 or e-mail customerserv@aispub.com |
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1100 17th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036
Phone 202-775-9008 or 800-521-4323; E-mail customerserv@aispub.com