RI bills aimed at improving treatment coverage

Focus is on lack of parity, prior authorization denials
Two Rhode Island lawmakers have proposed legislation aimed at improving mental health and substance abuse treatment coverage.
Sen. Linda Ujifusa (D-11th District) and Rep. Teresa Tanzi (D-34th District) are behind the two bills that address lack of parity between mental and physical health care insurance coverage and denial of prior authorizations by insurers.
“There is no question that since COVID, mental health and substance abuse problems have been increasing among people of all ages and demographics,” Ujifusa stated in a press release. “If we don’t address these problems today, we’ll face more serious and expensive problems later.”
The first bill (2024-S 2612, 2024-H 7876) would sp...