Mental Health Parity Compliance Review Panel

SB 131 would create a parity compliance review panel within the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council to identify and address mental health parity violations by health insurers and state health care entities. The bill adds the Insurance Commissioner to the Coordinating Council and requires health care providers to report suspected parity violations to the panel using forms and processes the panel establishes. The panel would evaluate these reports, determine whether violations occurred, and recommend punitive actions to the Commissioner of Insurance (for private insurers) and the Commissioner of Community Health (for state-run insurance programs like Medicaid).