MEDIA ADVISORY MEDIA TELECONFERENCE: MARCH 28, 10:30 A.M., EST RESEARCHERS TO DISCUSS EMBARGOED RESULTS OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY TO DATE ON PARITY IN MENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS FINDINGS TO BE PUBLISHED IN MARCH 30 NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE WHAT: On Thursday, March 30, the New England Journal of Medicine will publish the results of the most comprehensive study to date on the costs associated with parity in mental health insurance benefits for federal employees. The study was led by University of Maryland School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry professor Howard Goldman, MD, PhD.
On March 28, in an embargoed media teleconference, Dr. Goldman and co-author Richard Frank, PhD, the Margaret T. Morris professor of health economics in the Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School, will discuss key findings and take reporter questions. The information in the study is embargoed until Wednesday, March 29 at 5 pm EST.
The study evaluated the Federal Health Employees Benefit Program, which has more than 8.5 million enrollees consisting of current federal employees, retirees and spouses and dependents of current or retired employees. The program has provided insurance parity since 2001, meaning that coverage for mental health and substance abuse services is comparable to coverage for other health problems. The main argument against parity has been a concern that more generous coverage of mental health services would result in large increases in spending.
NOTE: This national teleconference is for registered media only. The information obtained prior to the call-in is embargoed until Wednesday, March 29, 5 pm EST.
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