The Mental Health Parity Act

With the passage of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, many employers are wondering what the ramifications will be, and how they can manage higher costs for mental health and addiction benefits.

As a leading provider of EAP benefits, eni is well acquainted with these concerns. Nation-wide, our clients are doing more with fewer resources.

The Mental Health Parity Act calls for mental health and addiction treatment benefits to be as accessible and as affordable as medical/surgical benefits.

As many as 5 percent of companies may react to this legislation by dropping mental health coverage altogether, rather than finding ways to make the coverage comparable to medical coverage.

A well-coordinated EAP provider can be a company’s best ally in terms of managing these costs. For companies that continue to offer mental health and addiction treatment benefits, an EAP can help reduce costs. EAPs focus heavily on prevention of not only physical ailments but mental health and substance use issues as well. By implementing a comprehensive wellness program, EAP programs can lower a company’s health care utilization costs across the board.

At eni, we employ a staff of skilled mental health professionals to conduct thorough, confidential screenings when employees seek mental health and addiction treatment services. Acting in this role as “gatekeepers,” EAP professionals can identify issues sooner, suggest pro-active approaches and, as a result, reduce company costs.

For companies that choose to discontinue mental health benefits, an EAP with a rich and comprehensive work/life program (e.g. 10 instead of 3 sessions for instance) can provide employees at least a measure of mental health care.

Perhaps the most important role that a well-managed EAP plays is as a strategic partner to both organization and individual employees’ wellness initiatives. We have found that, with a highly engaging and customizable wellness program, employee participation skyrockets, productivity increases, and organizations get a clear picture of risk factors. By removing the guesswork and conjecture from the process of choosing benefits, every dollar is spent the most efficiently.

If you would like more information about a customizable EAP with work/life solutions click here.