Healthcare For All
Mental health care should be as easy to access as any other type of care. To help make that possible, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota became one of the first organizations in the country to earn URAC’s Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder (MH/SUD) Parity Accreditation.
URAC is an independent nonprofit organization that works to make high-quality healthcare available to everyone. This accreditation shows that Blue Cross is dedicated to providing patients with better health plans and strengthening the communities it serves.
Federal law says that mental health coverage needs to be equal to physical health coverage in insurance plans, but not all plans fully meet that standard. The way the rule is enforced varies across the country. URAC created the accreditation program to encourage organizations to go beyond the minimum.
“This accreditation brings structure, clarity and national consistency,” says Shawn Griffin, MD, President and CEO of URAC. “We commend Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota for demonstrating leadership in advancing mental health parity, even in the face of changing federal landscapes.”
As one of the first organizations to earn this accreditation, Blue Cross is setting a national example. This important step forward helps pave the way for better mental health coverage, while providing a blueprint for other healthcare organizations to follow.
