Insurer, state settle case of mental health coverage
By ALBANY -- An insurer covering more than 500,000 people in upstate New York has agreed to reform its handling of behavioral health claims, cover residential treatment and charge its lower primary care co-payment for outpatient mental health and addiction treatment, New York's attorney general said yesterday.. Under the settlement, MVP Health Care members in the Hudson Valley, Albany area and central New York can resubmit those denied claims for independent review. Authorities said that could result in more than $6 million in payments, with $1.5 million designated for residential treatment that had not been covered. The insurer also will pay a $300,000 civil penalty.. MVP said yesterday it has established processes for resubmitting certain claims.. Since 2006, New York's mental health parity law has required coverage at least equal to that of other health conditions
