Virginia Statutes

Group and individual health insurance coverage shall provide coverage for mental health and SUD benefits, and such benefits shall be in parity with the medical and surgical benefits contained in the coverage in accordance with the MHPAEA, even where those requirements would not otherwise apply directly. Limits on these benefits shall not be more restrictive than those for any other illness, with exceptions for a few older, grandfathered health care plans.

The Bureau of Insurance shall develop reporting requirements regarding denied claims, complaints, appeals, and network adequacy involving coverage required by this statute. Each year, the bureau shall produce a report containing summaries of all comparative analyses provided by insurers pursuant to the MHPAEA and explanations of whether the bureau accepted each analysis as compliant. For noncompliant analyses, the report shall include what corrective actions the bureau required the insurer to take. The bureau will release the report to the public and submit it to the House Committee on Commerce and Energy and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor.

Notably, the bill does not mandate any insurer reporting or enforcement requirements.

Va. Code Ann. § 22.1–207 was amended to require mental health education in public schools. The Board of Education is required to consult with mental health experts and shall review and update the health Standards of Learning for students in the 9th and 10th grades to include mental health. The health instruction will incorporate standards that recognize the dimensions of health including mental health and the relationship of physical and mental health to enhance student understanding, attitudes and behavior to promote dignity, health, and well-being. The second amendment to Va. Code. Ann. § 22.1–207 includes age-appropriate health instruction on the safe use and risk of abuse of prescription drugs.

House Bill 1604 and House Bill 1552 provided for these amendments.

Group and individual health insurance coverage must provide mental health and substance use disorder benefits. Such benefits shall be in parity with the medical and surgical benefits contained in the coverage in accordance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.

Enacted through HB 1747 (2015 Session)

This bill changed the section of the insurance law about autism coverage to what it is currently by raising the age limit for coverage to age 10 and by eliminating language that defined small employer plans as those with 50 or fewer employees.

This bill changed the section of the insurance law about autism coverage to what it is currently by raising the age limit for coverage to age 10 and by eliminating language that defined small employer plans as those with 50 or fewer employees.

Mandates coverage for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and the treatment of autism spectrum disorder, in individuals (i) from January 1, 2012, until January 1, 2016, from age two years through age six years and (ii) from and after January 1, 2016, from age two years through age 10 years, subject to the annual maximum benefit limitation.

Enacted through H1940 (2015 Session)

This bill changed the parity section of the state insurance law so that large employer fully-insured plans must cover behavioral health services “in accordance” with the Federal Parity Law.