Federal regulators have fined five major health insurers a combined $500 million for violating mental health parity laws by imposing stricter coverage limits on mental health treatments than on physical health conditions.
The Violations
UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, Anthem, and Humana were found to deny mental health claims at 3x the rate of comparable medical claims and impose prior authorization requirements that effectively blocked access to therapy and psychiatric care.
Impact
The fines are the largest parity enforcement action in history. Insurers must submit corrective action plans within 90 days or face additional penalties.
- $500M in combined fines
- 5 major insurers penalized
- Mental health claims denied 3x more often
- 90-day corrective action required
