A.G. Schneiderman Offers Assistance For Individuals And Families Seeking Substance Abuse And Mental Health Treatment
(ATTORNEY GENERAL) May 17, 2016 – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that his office is offering assistance for individuals and families seeking substance abuse and/or mental health treatment. New York’s mental health parity law, known as Timothy’s Law, was enacted in 2006 and requires that insurers provide broad based coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders at least equal to coverage provided for other health conditions. The New York Insurance Law also requires health plans to administer substance abuse treatment coverage consistent with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which was enacted in 2008, and prohibits health plans from imposing greater financial requirements or treatment limitations on mental health or substance use disorder benefits than on medical or surgical benefits.
In order to help protect the rights of patients, Attorney General Schneiderman today issued an alert encouraging those seeking treatment or facing barriers with their health insurer to call his office’s Health Care Helpline at 1-800-428-9071.
“Under the parity laws, health insurers are required to handle claims for mental health and addiction treatment services the same as medical claims,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “My office has taken an aggressive approach to enforcing these laws and will continue to take on those who ignore the law and, by doing so, reinforce the false and painful stigma often associated with substance abuse and mental health conditions.”
The alert from Attorney General Schneiderman aims to assist New York residents and their families who are struggling with substance abuse or mental health disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of drug overdoses related to opioid abuses have increased dramatically over the past decade, including over 2,000 drug overdose deaths in New York in 2014. Today’s alert aims to assist residents with knowing their rights when accessing substance abuse treatment through their insurance provider, and encourages them to contact the Attorney General’s Health Care Helpline with any questions.