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Mental Health Parity Rules and Requirements for Plan Sponsors and Administrators

DOL Enforcement Actions, Regulations, Self-Compliance Tools, Comparative Analysis, CAA Parity Disclosures

A live 90-minute CLE video webinar with interactive Q&A

This program is included with the Strafford CLE Pass. Click for more information.
This program is included with the Strafford All-Access Pass. Click for more information.

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

1:00pm-2:30pm EDT, 10:00am-11:30am PDT

Early Registration Discount Deadline, Friday, August 29, 2025

or call 1-800-926-7926

This CLE webinar will provide benefits counsel and advisers with guidance on overcoming challenges in ensuring compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) rules and requirements for plan sponsors and insurers. The panel will discuss the requirements of MHPAEA for health plans that provide mental health and substance abuse disorder benefits, ERISA disclosure requirements, DOL enforcement of parity violations, and best practices for ensuring compliance with MHPAEA rules

Description

The requirements of the MHPAEA and DOL enforcement actions provide significant challenges for plan sponsors in ensuring that their health plans remain compliant. In addition to the strict requirements under the MHPAEA, health plans providing mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits must ensure compliance with CAA requirements and IRS and DOL regulations.

In recent years, the DOL announced millions in settlements related to violations of the MHPAEA and its intent to make health plan compliance a priority in enforcement actions and audits. In addition, the Employee Benefits Security Administration commenced an audit program for compliance with MHPAEA, including making requests for the "comparative analysis" required by the CAA.

All group health plans that provide MH/SUD benefits must comply with parity rules, with limited exceptions. Benefits counsel and advisers must address the risks to plan sponsors and insurers by reassessing current health plans, adhering to the MHPAEA rules and disclosure obligations under ERISA, and other issues that result in DOL audits or class action lawsuits. Under the CAA, plan sponsors must perform and document comparative analysis of the design and application of nonquantitative treatment limits (NQTLs) and the duty to disclose this analysis and related information to the DOL on request.

Listen as our panel discusses the legal requirements of the parity rules, CAA requirements, ERISA disclosure requirements, DOL enforcement of parity violations, and techniques for handling DOL health plan audits and plaintiff lawsuits.

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Outline

  1. Overview of MHPAEA requirements and exceptions for plans providing MH/SUD benefits
  2. CAA comparative analysis requirements and other rules
  3. DOL, HHS, and Treasury guidance for MHPAEA and ERISA compliance
  4. DOL parity compliance enforcement and handling health plan audits
  5. Best practices for conducting internal audits of group health plans for MHPAEA compliance

Benefits

The panel will review these and other crucial questions:

  • MHPAEA legal requirements for plans providing MH/SUD benefits
  • DOL, HHS, and IRS guidance on MHPAEA compliance and implementation
  • CAA comparative analysis requirement for any NQTLs
  • Revised disclosure form for document requests and updated self-compliance tool
  • ERISA disclosure requirements for health plans providing MH/SUD benefits
  • DOL compliance enforcement and handling health plan audits

Faculty

Malone, Kevin
Kevin J. Malone

Member
Epstein Becker & Green

Managed care organizations trust Mr. Malone to help them understand and navigate their most difficult legal,...  |  Read More

Summers, Britni
Britni A. Summers

Attorney
McGrath North Mullin & Kratz

Ms. Summers practice focuses on all aspects of labor, employment, and employee benefit matters. She has...  |  Read More

Watson, Roberta
Roberta Casper Watson

Partner
The Wagner Law Group

Ms. Watson focuses on ERISA and employee benefits. She concentrates on a wide array of areas including, pension and...  |  Read More

Attend on September 23

Early Discount (through 08/29/25)

Cannot Attend September 23?

Early Discount (through 08/29/25)

You may pre-order a recording to listen at your convenience. Recordings are available 48 hours after the webinar. Strafford will process CLE credit for one person on each recording. All formats include course handouts.

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