The Wellstone-Domenici Parity Act of 2008 (H.R. 6983) ensures that mental health and substance abuse are afforded “equality” with the benefits offered in medical and surgical plans. Estimates of cost increases to employers ranges from 1% to 3% of total health care costs.*

Therefore, it’s now more important than ever, especially for self-funded plans, to have a trusted EAP partner with you to manage the cost implications of Parity by:

“Gate keeping” the Mental Health Benefit

Having an EAP at the front-end of the benefit eliminates any redundancy between EAP counseling and short-term outpatient counseling delivered through the benefit. EAP’s are best suited to assess, diagnose and treat employee challenges: Over our 25 year history, we have successfully resolved 65% of all employee cases through assessments, short-term counseling and work/life services.

Ensuring Continuity of Care Through Case Management

We case manage people through the complexity of care levels by determining an accurate diagnosis, developing a comprehensive treatment plan, providing short-term counseling within the scope of the EAP benefit, and only when necessary, facilitate a referral for ongoing treatment into the benefit. Once outside the EAP, we help employees navigate and move across the continuum of care—outpatient, inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient.

Addressing the Full Range of Employee Challenges

People are complex; and so are their issues. Many “mental health” issues are driven by struggles with stress and workload, elder and child care, legal and financial, relationships, health and wellness—all of which can be resolved by a comprehensive employee and work/life assistance program that provides education, resourcing and referral services that reach beyond a mental health benefit.

Mercer suggested that as part of best-in-class care management strategies organizations should “encourage members to access pre-paid EAP benefits to address problems before they become mental health concerns”.*

We support this recommendation.

If you have any questions on how Parity will affect your organization or how you can best leverage an EAP, please contact us at 212-686-6827.

Download Parity and EAP.

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* Source: Mercer, ‘Guidelines for Cost-Effective Implementation of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008’.