Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “CHIP Mental Health Parity Act”.
CHIP Mental Health Parity Act
A BILL
To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to ensure access to mental health services for children under the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Ensuring access to mental health services for children under the Children’s Health Insurance Program
In general— Section 2103(c)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397cc(c)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(E) Mental health services and substance use disorder services (including behavioral health treatment).”
Mental health services—
by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), (7), and (8) as paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and (9), respectively; and
by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new paragraph:
“(5) Mental health services—The child health assistance provided to a targeted low-income child or pregnant woman shall—
“(A) include coverage of mental health services necessary to prevent, diagnose, and treat a broad range of mental health symptoms and disorders, including substance use disorders; and
“(B) be delivered in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.”
Conforming amendments—
Section 2103(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397cc(a)) is amended, in the matter before paragraph (1), by striking “paragraphs (5), (6), and (7)” and inserting “paragraphs (5), (6), (7), and (8)”.
Section 2110(b)(5)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ee(b)(5)(A)(i)) is amended by striking “subsection (c)(5)” and inserting “subsection (c)(6)”.
Assuring access to care— Section 2102(a)(7)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397bb(c)(2)) is amended by striking “section 2103(c)(5)” and inserting “paragraphs (5) and (6) of section 2103(c)”.
Mental health services parity— Subparagraph (A) of paragraph (7) of section 2103(c) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397cc(c)) (as redesignated by subsection (b)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
“(A) In general—A State child health plan shall ensure that the financial requirements and treatment limitations applicable to mental health or substance use disorder benefits provided under such plan comply with the requirements of section 2726(a) of the Public Health Service Act in the same manner as such requirements or limitations apply to a group health plan under such section.”
Effective date—
In general— Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section shall take effect on January 1, 2018.
Exception for State legislation— In the case of a State child health plan under title XXI of the Social Security Act (or a waiver of such plan), which the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines requires State legislation in order for the respective plan (or waiver) to meet any requirement imposed by the amendments made by this section, the respective plan (or waiver) shall not be regarded as failing to comply with the requirements of such title solely on the basis of its failure to meet such an additional requirement before the first day of the first calendar quarter beginning after the close of the first regular session of the State legislature that begins after the date of enactment of this section. For purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year of the session shall be considered to be a separate regular session of the State legislature.