UnitedHealth Subsidiary Loses Mental Health Coverage Suit (1)

United Behavioral Health‘s internal guidelines giving less coverage for mental health and substance use disorders are overly narrow and violate federal law, a federal judge ruled after a 10-day trial.

“This is a highly significant decision,” Brian Hufford, lead attorney in the case for New York-based Zuckerman Spaeder, told Bloomberg Law. “For the first time, it’s making public what’s going on behind the scenes by insurance companies like United.”

Covering behavioral health at the same levels as physical treatment has become increasingly important in recent years. In 2008, Congress passed the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity ...