Managed care company creates 'parity-ready' benefit package.(PacifiCare Behavioral Health)

Anticipating the day when comprehensive mental health parity becomes federal law, managed behavioral health care company PacifiCare Behavioral Health (PBH) has announced a benefit package for health plans and employers that includes "parity-compliant" mental health and chemical dependency components.

Called "Spectrum," the plan offers degrees of coverage for inpatient and outpatient mental health services; chemical dependency; severe mental illness and serious emotional disturbances of children; disease management programs for smoking cessation, depression and diabetes; critical incident stress management (CISM) services; and employee referrals for child and elder care, legal and financial services and alternative care and community services.

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