Minnesota AG Strikes Deal with Insurer to Ensure Parity in Mental Health Care 

By Consumers for Quality Care, on November 20, 2024

Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison and Blue Cross Minnesota have come to an agreement guaranteeing that the insurer will cover mental-health or substance-abuse treatments the same way that they cover physical health care, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune.  

A 2008 federal law requires insurers to cover mental-health treatments just as they cover anything else, meaning that consumers cannot be charged higher copays or face additional prior authorizations for mental health care. But health insurance companies have skirted the law, creating unnecessary hurdles for consumers seeking mental-health treatment and prescriptions.   

Under the new agreement between Blue Cross and Minnesota, if Blue Cross fails to uphold their end of the deal, they will be required to pay a $300,000 fine. 

“Mental and behavioral health care is health care, period,” said Attorney General Ellison in a statement. “We expect someone with a broken leg to be able to get the care they need, and the same should be true of Minnesotans struggling with conditions like depression or substance use disorder.”  

Over the last 18 months, Attorney General Ellison has made a concerted effort to improve health care access for consumers. Earlier this year, the Minnesota Department of Commerce fined UnitedHealthcare $450 million for not properly reimbursing consumers for mental health care, according to Minnesota Reformer.   

CQC urges lawmakers and regulators to take action to ensure that all patients can access the mental health care they need and that insurance acts like insurance to cover all aspects of patient care.