In this Talking Benefits podcast episode, the pod squad wanted to highlight a topic that is timely for several reasons and might be a little confusing—mental health and substance use disorder parity in benefits.

Podcast host Julie Stich welcomed Stephanie Patrick, senior consulting actuary for Horizon Actuarial Services, LLC, for this episode. Stephanie answered a few questions that are sure to provide listeners with a better understanding of this topic, as well as of Department of Labor (DOL) enforcement in this area.

The episode covers:

  • The overall goal of mental health parity and why the legislation was first enacted 25 years ago
  • How the legislation has morphed since 1996 and where it is today
  • What the actual rules are and the three main requirements and areas for parity
  • What’s new as of November 2021 that employers and plan sponsors should know about
  • How the Department of Labor is enforcing the parity law and rules
  • What happens if the DOL finds parity violations

I hope you are able to give this episode a listen. It provided a lot of needed clarity on this important and ever-changing topic.

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Anne Patterson
Marketing Communications Manager

Anne Patterson

 Marketing Communications Specialist

Favorite Foundation Product: Benefits Magazine. Bella’s a classic, physical book-in-hand kind of person, so the Foundation’s magazine keeps her up-to-date on all things benefits!

 

Benefits-related Topics That Interest Her Most: Communication, Diversity and Inclusion, Workplace Wellness, Work-Life Benefits

 

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