Judge Blasts Insurer For Policies He Says Effectively Discriminated Against Patients With Mental Health Problems To Save Money

U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero found that United Behavioral Health, the insurer’s unit that administers treatments for mental illness and addiction in private health plans, used overly restrictive guidelines to make its decision on mental health coverage. “There is an excessive emphasis on addressing acute symptoms and stabilizing crises while ignoring the effective treatment of members’ underlying conditions,” he said. He dismissed much of the testimony by UnitedHealth’s experts as “evasive — and even deceptive.” The ruling, if its upheld, could have wide-reaching ramifications for the industry.

from Kaiser Health News https://ift.tt/2SN75Dk