Model Resources

We created several resources that promote parity compliance. The resources target a variety of actors that are critical to full parity implementation, including legislators, regulators, advocates, and health plans. If you would like to learn more about any of the resources below, contact David Lloyd at david@thekennedyforum.org.

Our Model Bill provides a template for legislation that would increase parity implementation (click here for Word version). The legislation targets the most critical areas of need to help achieve true parity implementation. This version is a streamlined draft of our previous iteration of model legislation. The current legislation is primarily focused on increased insurer transparency and enhanced regulatory agency enforcement. If you are interested in legislative text from the previous model legislation please contact David Lloyd at david@thekennedyforum.org. For consumer and provider education model legislation, click here .

The Kennedy Forum and several other organizations offers a number of resources to help health plans and other stakeholders comply with the Federal Parity Law and similar state laws.  Below are some important resources:

• Parity Guidebook:  For basic background regarding the Federal Parity Law, please see the Parity Resource Guide for Addiction & Mental Health Consumers, Providers and Advocates, published in by The Kennedy Forum and the Parity Leadership Coalition.
• For Consumers:
  • If you would like to learn more about how to file a health insurance appeal, click here to view the Kennedy Forum and NAMI Health Insurance Appeals Guide.
  • If you would like to register a parity complaint to help the Kennedy Forum to highlight problems and promote common public policy objectives, click here.
  • To review Frequently Asked Questions regarding how the Parity Law works and to better understand your rights, click here.
  • For helpful information regarding parity regulators and advocates to help file an appeal, click here.
• Federal Regulatory Overview:  For information about the Federal Parity Law published by the:
  • U.S. Department of Labor, click here.
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, click here.
  • U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, click here.   Also to access a Parity Compliance Toolkit for Medicaid published by the U.S. Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services, click here.
  • U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), click here.

• Six-Step Parity Compliance Guide. For information about the The Six-Step” Parity Compliance Guide for Non-Quantitative Treatment Limitation (NQTL) Requirements, click here.  The purpose of this guide and its accompanying spreadsheet is to provide regulators, health plans and issuers with