Strauss Troy was successful in securing a win for a client battling an insurance company for coverage of mental health treatment under an employer health insurance plan. In Emch v. Community Mutual Insurance Company, the Southern District of Ohio held that the Ohio Mental Health Parity Act can be enforced by a beneficiary of a health insurance plan. The Ohio Parity Act requires that mental health conditions and substance use disorders be treated by a health plan in the same or similar manner as the plan treats benefits for medical and surgical conditions and disorders. Emch holds that when a health insurance plan incorporates state law into the plan, that includes statutory protections like the Ohio Parity Act. The Court’s decision allows individuals to enforce the protections of the Parity Act and does not force them to rely on enforcement by the state.
Strauss Troy is a full-service law firm that delivers solution-oriented legal services to clients through expertise, communication, and collaboration. With offices in Ohio and Kentucky, Strauss Troy serves clients in practice areas including corporate and business law, criminal and white collar defense, domestic relations and family law, labor and employment law, local government, real estate law, tax planning and compliance, and trust and estate planning.