McGuire bill would expand mental health coverage
A California bill introduced by North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire would mandate insurance coverage for a specific type of mental health care.
Senate Bill 1337 would force California’s insurance companies and health plans to cover coordinated specialty care, a type of mental health treatment plan involving wrap-around services such as access to housing and assistance with educational and vocational goals, as a treatment for early psychosis. The bill would only apply to insurance that was issued, amended, or renewed on and after Jan. 1, 2023.
The bill passed the Senate Health Committee with a unanimous 9-0 vote this week, one of its first hurdles.
“Early psychosis is a heartbreaking condition that impacts far too many young Californians and those who love and care for them,” McGuire said in a prepared statement. “We know what needs to be done — guarantee access to mental health care. Coordinated Specialty Care can literally save a person’s life. It’s beyond time for insurers to step up. Withholding this medically necessary care to those suffering from this traumatic disease is truly appalling and we can change this with this bill.”
Humboldt County’s hospitals have been struggling with an influx of patients undergoing a mental health crisis, leading to assaults on nurses as they attempt to do their jobs. St. Joseph Hospital nurses told the TimesStandard last week that they’ve seen an increase of violence towards nurses stemming from patients who need psychiatric care.
“SB 1337 is the missing piece in California’s mental health parity law,” McGuire said in a press release. “We owe all Californians the right to a healthy and prosperous life. Medically necessary treatment — that’s covered by insurance — is a must.”
The full text of the bill is at https://bit.ly/3vTg1Nb.