SPRINGFIELD – After three years of advocacy, State Senator Karina Villa advanced a measure to secure mental health parity, which will increase access to behavioral health care by improving insurance adequacy.
“Despite paying their insurance premiums every month, individuals in need of behavioral health services cannot access the care outlined in their insurance coverage because of the lack of in-network providers,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “About 20-25% of mental health clinicians do not take insurance because the pay is far too low and other insurance practices get in the way of providing care. This is endangering the lives of thousands of Illinoisans who are forced to wait extended periods of time, rack up extreme debt going out-of-network or forego care altogether.”
Initiatives championed by Villa, included in House Bill 1085, would create a formula to calculate mental health and substance use reimbursement rates. The bill would then task the Illinois Department of Insurance with utilizing the formula to calculate rates and publish them in a bulletin for use by insurers.
Updating reimbursement rates would ensure more behavioral health providers join networks, ensuring individuals are able to access the care outlined within their benefits in a timely manner without having to go out-of-network.
“Behavioral health care providers who are doing the work to keep our communities healthy deserve reasonable compensation for the care they are providing,” said Villa. “Insurers have a responsibility to contract sufficient in-network providers to meet the needs of their patients. We must continue to take steps to hold insurers accountable and break down financial barriers that prevent families from accessing the care they need.”
House Bill 1085 passed the Senate on Thursday.
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