Three Connecticut psychiatric groups filed a lawsuit April 10 against several insurance companies for allegedly manipulating rates on mental health, making it difficult for patients to access treatment and doctors to provide quality care.
“This case is about eliminating the hurdles imposed by insurance companies to mental health treatment,” said Maria Pepe VanDerLaan, a partner at Murtha Cullina L.L.P., in a press release. “Despite legislation which makes it illegal to discriminate against mental health treatment, stigmas still exist and access to quality care remains a challenge in many cases.”
Attorneys at Murtha Cullina filed the lawsuit on behalf of the American Psychiatric Association, the Connecticut Psychiatric Society and the Connecticut Council on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, against Anthem Health Plans, Inc., Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut and Wellpoint, Inc.
The formal complaint asserts health insurance companies, like the defendants, allegedly discourage patients from seeking mental health treatment by reasserting stigmas in order to make a profit.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced April 9 that the state’s insurance department and the University of Connecticut Health Center would be developing a claims tool kid to help patients prepare submissions that reflect medical necessity, in order to increase the overall number of claims approved.
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