August 20, 2009 (WORTHINGTON, OH) – American Health Holding, a full-service medical management service provider, has announced it will present a free webinar to discuss the implications of The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (“MHPA”). The online seminar will take place on August 27, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. EDT and is presented in conjunction with CuraLinc Healthcare, a national provider of behavioral health and wellness programs.

The MHPA, which goes into effect on October 3, 2009, prohibits group health or self-insured plans covering more than 50 employees from imposing caps or limitations on mental health treatment or substance abuse benefits that are not also applied to medical and surgical benefits. The webinar will provide an overview of the Act, from both a legal and a clinical perspective, along with recommendations for plan design options that will effectively manage mental health and substance abuse costs. 

According to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association, more than 90% of employer-sponsored health plans include coverage for mental health and substance abuse services. “Companies that opt to maintain their coverage for these services should lean heavily on their Medical Management vendor to provide aggressive management of the benefits. This will ensure the highest level of cost containment and risk avoidance on behalf of the plan,” states Richard Hodsdon Jr., Vice President of Sales at American Health Holding. “With proper plan design and the right service providers, these programs can actually provide a higher level of service at a lower overall cost to the company.”

Most medical plans started offering mental health and substance abuse (MH/SA) services in the 1970s. While, today, MH/SA expenses only account for about 5% of total health costs, the impact of members with mental health or substance abuse conditions is felt throughout every organization. “The current economic climate is forcing many companies to reduce expenses and increase employee productivity. Any cost increase or reduction in employee efficiency can be detrimental to the company’s short- and long-term financial viability,” says John Kamilis, MA, LCPC, and Director of Clinical Services with CuraLinc Healthcare. “Understanding both the direct and indirect impact of the Act is the first step in managing Parity-related expectations.” 

American Health Holding is a single-source provider of medical management services that supports millions of members across the health care continuum. The multi-URAC accredited organization has been helping clients to maximize cost savings while ensuring the quality and appropriateness of care since 1993. American Health provides a level of flexibility that supports integrated solutions for creating healthy outcomes.

CuraLinc Healthcare is a national provider of behavioral health and wellness programs. These services include, but are not limited to, Employee Assistance Programs and Managed Behavioral Healthcare services. For more information about CuraLinc Healthcare, visit the Web site: www.curalinc.com, email info@curalinc.com, or call (800) 490-1585. 

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