NEWS
BRUCE RAUNER, Governor
ANNE MELISSA DOWLING
Acting Director
Illinois Department of Insurance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Department of Insurance
Launches Mental Health Insurance Awareness Campaign
DOI announces new toolkit to
help residents navigate insurance coverage requirements for behavioral health
and substance use disorders claims
SPRINGFIELD–April 27, 2016. The Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI)
launched a consumer education awareness campaign in partnership with other
state agencies and healthcare organizations across the state to help Illinois
families navigate health insurance coverage for mental health and substance use
disorders. DOI also announced that its new consumer mental health insurance
toolkit is now available on its website http://insurance.illinois.gov.
“We want to help families make
sound choices, get the right care from their coverage and be aware of the
resources available through their Department of Insurance,” said Acting
Director Anne Melissa Dowling. “Families are often dealing with mental health
issues and need support during vulnerable moments in their lives. Our goal is
to ensure that consumers gain a better understanding of their rights under
state and federal insurance laws.”
DOI’s Consumer Toolkit for Navigating Behavioral Health and
Substance Use Disorder Care Through Your Health Insurance Plan is a
free, step-by-step, plain-language template that families and providers can use
to submit requests for pre-authorization of medically necessary behavioral
health services to insurance companies. The toolkit includes easy-to-follow
instructions, a glossary of terms and a checklist for organizing information.
Additionally, DOI directed resources within the Office of Consumer Health
Insurance (OCHI) in
response to families looking for assistance in navigating access to mental
health and substance use disorder needs within their health insurance
plans. Illinois residents can call OCHI
toll-free at 1-877-527-9431, Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
DOI’s consumer education seminars
kicked off at The Project of the Quad Cities in Moline on April 26. Upcoming seminars will be held at the
following locations
Crusader Community Health
1200 W. State St., Rockford Thurs, May 19, 2016 – 6 p.m. to 8
p.m.
Normal Public Library
206 W. College Ave., Normal Thurs, May 26, 2016 – 6 p.m. to 8
p.m.
Collinsville Memorial Library
408 W. Main St., Collinsville Tues, May 31, 2016 – 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Komed-Holman Health Center of Near North Health Service
Corporation
4259 S. Berkeley Ave., Chicago Wed, June 1, 2016 – 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
