Providing Political, Legal Advocacy, Education and Consumer

Protection in the Field of Addiction Treatment

The Addiction Treatment Advocacy Coalition advocates on behalf of substance use treatment providers, as well as those who suffer from Substance Use Disorder. The organization advocates on three fronts:

Administrative

Working with the California Department of Insurance, the U.S. Department of Labor that regulates employer funded health plans, and the Department of Managed Health Care, ATAC seeks to ensure that all laws in the CA Health & Safety Code, Insurance Code, as well as the Federal Employee Benefits Security Administration regulations, are adhered to by payers.

ATAC also works with regulators to develop administrative fixes for issues facing the addiction treatment industry.

Legislative

ATAC works with California state, regional and municipal elected officials to develop laws that will improve and benefit the addiction treatment industry. We also work with legislators to oppose legislation that will negatively impact our industry or the well-being of those suffering from Substance Use Disorder.

Judicial

ATAC monitors all judicial actions that may affect addiction treatment providers to ensure that all favorable rulings are immediately known by our members. ATAC also determines if questionable actions by insurers may be violating existing statutes in the CA Health & Safety Code,  the Insurance Code, as well as the regulations of the Federal Employee Benefits Security Administration.

ATAC also develops strategies through its Billing and Utilization Review Committees to enhance the cash flow and revenue of its members.

2016 – 2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Meeting with White House Concerning Mental Health Parity Violations
• Meeting with SAMSHA Concerning Addiction Treatment and Insurance
• Two Educational Sessions Attended by Over 200 Addiction Treatment Professionals
• Meetings and Conference Calls with Insurance Regulators
  • Mental Health Parity Issues
  • Health & Safety Code and Insurance Code Concerns
  • Health Net Negotiations with Regulators Concerning Underpayments
    • Ongoing Concerning 2016 Payments
    • Opened Regulatory Investigations into Health Net Practices
• Billing and Utilization Review Committees
  • Medical Necessity Criteria Education
  • Improved Billing Requirement Understanding
  • Decreased Denials
  • Successful Negotiation and Coding Strategies
• Legislative Issues
  • Opposition to AB 2403 Redefining California Treatment Model
  • Clarification of Stone Act vs. Insurance Company Requirements
  • Opposition to SB 636 Due to Removal of “No Payments to Patient” Language
  • Opposition to SB 34 300 Foot Limit on Adjacent Facilities
  • Letters to Congress Concerning Direct Payments to Patients
• Meetings with Legislators and their staffs to the Advance Addiction Treatment Industry Agenda
  • Senator Pro Tempore Kevin De Leon
  • Senator Toni Atkins (Emeritus Speaker of the Assembly)
  • Senator Bradford, Governance and Finance Committee
  • Senator Hernandez, Chairman Senate Health Committee
  • Assemblyman Jim Wood, Chairman Assembly Health Committee
  • Assemblyman Todd Gloria, Assistant Majority Whip
  • Assemblyman Richard Bloom
  • Governor Brown’s Office
  • Lieutenant Gavin Newsome’s Office
  • Senate Mark McGuire’s Office
  • Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher’s Office
  • Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley Weber’s Office
  • State Senator Henry Stern’s Office
  • Congressman Adam Schiff
  • Congressman Ted Lieu