Donovan and Zaitlin Share Outlook on Behavioral Health Coverage Under Medicare

Partner Chris Donovan and senior counsel Hannah Zaitlin spoke to Behavioral Health Business about substance use disorder (SUD) treatment gaps under Medicare in an article titled, “Lawyers: Biden Unlikely to Expand Parity to Include Medicare, But Other Behavioral Changes Probable.” While the lawyers are not hopeful that the administration will expand the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) to include Medicare, they are optimistic about other pro-behavioral changes.

Donovan told the outlet, “There is a possibility you’re going to see CMS expansion of some of these services for substance use disorder (SUD) for Medicare…. And I think where you’re going to see even more activity is, not directly with respect to CMS programs, but with respect to Medicare Advantage.”