APA Petitions Congress to Enforce Parity in Florida

APA is petitioning Congress and the Obama administration to enforce the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Recovery Act. The petition is in response to recent actions by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, which terminated mental health care providers from their network and told them that they had to reapply and accept less-favorable contract terms if they wanted to continue seeing BCBSFL patients. APA maintains that BCBSFL’s actions discriminate against mental health patients and has learned that the insurer's actions have resulted in many such patients going without necessary care. APA is urging members and others to review this petition here and sign to show support. If you are a Florida mental health care clinician, patient, or caretaker of a patient, please also complete this survey here.

For more coverage of the Florida insurer's actions regarding mental health care, see Psychiatric News here.

(Image: Scott Richardson/shutterstock.com)