Submit a Parity Violation

• Identify your type of insurance plan: employer-sponsored, individual, Medicaid, or government insurance.
• Gather your coverage documents, including insurance ID card and other insurance paperwork. Have your insurance denial letter or bill for your mental health treatment.
• Ask for a letter of support from your mental health provider that indicates reasons for the requested care to have on hand for your appeal.
• Call the phone number on the back of your insurance ID card and say you would like to appeal a denial of coverage. Be sure to record your phone call.
• You may also wish to write an appeal letter to send to your insurer.

Here is a sample appeal letter.

Were you able to resolve your complaint by reaching out to your insurer?

YES: No further action needed.

NO: Proceed to Step 2 below. You can submit a complaint to one of the state agencies that oversees your insurance plan. This helps the state agencies monitor and ensure that Georgians are getting the mental health care coverage required by law.

• If you have health insurance through your job or family member, or selected your insurance yourself: File a complaint through the Georgia Department of Insurance online consumer complaints portal.

• If you have insurance through Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids, or the State Health Benefit Plan (for state government employees): File a complaint through the Georgia Department of Community Health online mental health parity complaint form .

For more information on health insurance complaints and appeals, please consult the Health Insurance Appeals Guide available from The Kennedy Forum and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).