New Hampshire insurance officials have begun a “targeted examination” of how insurance companies authorize, deny and review claims for substance abuse treatment, the state Insurance Department announced last Wednesday.
“Under New Hampshire and federal law, insurance policies that cover treatment for mental health conditions — including substance use disorder and addiction — must do so in the same manner and to the same degree as they cover conditions relating to physical health,” Insurance Commissioner Roger Sevigny said in a statement.
Carriers found to be in violation can face a number of repercussions: an order to correct the violation, monetary penalties and even an order to cease operations in the state.
On the Presidential campaign trail, discussion of the heroin crisis which has risen to levels unseen in the past has taken many candidates by surprise. In the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire where heroin overdoses have soared, we may see our first testing ground for the national tolerance of discussing Substance Use Disorder civilly and openly.
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