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Aetna's Implementation of the Mental Health Parity Act

Is Aetna prepared to accommodate the new mental health parity legislation?

Yes. Beyond our well-established clinical management protocol, Aetna’s commitment to innovation, quality of care and our demonstrated integration capabilities are notable differentiators that will enable our plan sponsors to harvest the opportunities that mental health parity has to offer. To this end, Aetna has developed a team of mental health specialists that work in close alignment with our medical care team to ensure a holistic approach to patient management.

Does parity support the value of integrated care?

Yes. The recognition that mental health benefits should be offered in parity with medical health benefits, coupled with the fact that mental illness has an impact on physical health and vice versa, strongly supports Aetna’s approach to the value of integration of care. When members have access to programs that effectively integrate behavioral and medical benefits, they are more likely to be compliant with medication, have improved health outcomes, lower rates of absenteeism, and ultimately benefit from increased productivity. Aetna will continue to expand and enhance these programs as well as the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to promote earlier identification and intervention in behavioral health conditions.

What impact will parity have on the Aetna Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

Although the MHP Act does not directly impact our the Aetna Employee Assistance Program, it could play a significant role in achieving improved treatment use and outcomes in light of parity. One of the benefits parity affords members is that it helps remove a barrier to accessing mental health care. EAP's role as a 24/7 "welcoming front door" to the behavioral health continuum facilitates member engagement and enables its Master's licensed clinicians to assess psychosocial factors and address issues early, before they become more serious.