Mental health advocates in Georgia are urging lawmakers to strengthen and enforce the state’s Mental Health Parity Act, arguing that too many people still face denials, delays, or limited access when trying to get behavioral health care covered by insurance.
Supporters say parity laws are meant to ensure mental health and substance use treatment are covered the same way physical health care is covered. But advocates with the Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership say enforcement has not gone far enough to ensure patients can actually get the care they are owed.
A key proposal highlighted by advocates is Senate Bill 131, which would create a parity enforcement review panel aimed at holding insurance companies accountable when mental health services are not covered equitably — including situations where patients cannot find an in-network provider.
Advocate Roland Behm, one of the founders of the Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership, says the main goal is straightforward: make sure Georgians who need medically necessary mental health care are not denied, delayed, or provided less-than-adequate coverage compared to other medical services. He also argued that, years after the law passed, regulators have not produced clear examples where enforcement actions resulted in a person receiving care after a parity-related denial.
State Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King has pointed to recent enforcement activity, including fines issued after audits of private insurers. During Mental Health Parity Day events, King said insurers should take the issue seriously, noting his office has pursued violations identified through extensive review.
According to the reporting, 22 private health insurance companies were fined a combined total of about $25 million tied to violations from 2022 — but advocates say fines alone may not change behavior unless the system also ensures patients get timely access to treatment when coverage disputes occur.
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