ATAC drove the settlement of over $150 million in outstanding claims to substance use treatment providers. Working with California regulators, ATAC forced Health Net to pay outstanding substance use treatment claims that had been unpaid for over 2 years.

During the initial phase of the COVID epidemic, large health plans refused to pay for telehealth visits by behavioral health providers. ATAC worked with one of the largest insurers to ensure the industry, particularly in California, would be paid for telehealth services during the pandemic.

California law that requires all health insurers to adhere to the American Society of Addiction Medicine Criteria for substance use treatment in California. Post the passage of the legislation, working with the regulators ATAC was responsible for ensuring all levels of care were being recognized by all payors.

ATAC is committed to insurer compliance with federal and state insurance laws. The leadership of ATAC has a deep knowledge of California insurance law and has helped providers understand the different laws governing the health plans that may be presented by your patients. Whether Department of Labor, California Department of Insurance, or the Department of Managed Health Care, ATAC helps ensure that regulators are notified of inappropriate behavior by insurers through extensive documentation from providers.

ATAC tracks critical legislation that will have a positive impact on the substance use treatment provider community. ATAC reviews all pertinent legislation in Sacramento and helps educate members on impending legislation, both good and bad. For legislation that supports our industry, ATAC chairs letter writing campaigns from our members to ensure legislation moves to passage to become law. If ATAC remains neutral on a piece of legislation, it is not considered positive for the industry. If ATAC recommends letters to express a lack of support for a piece of legislation, it is detrimental to substance use treatment providers.

ATAC has been actively involved in ensuring that insurers adhere to the Peterson the landmark class action case Peterson DC et al v. UnitedHealth Group Inc. et al, filed 06/23/14. A ruling was issued in March of 2017. The ruling stated that cross-plan offsets are unlawful. Meaning an insurer can only recoup money from the same plan that the reimbursement originated. Please note that if your organization is in-network it likely signed away this right in your contract by allowing unencumbered recoupments.

ATAC monitors legal cases concerning the substance use treatment industry or that may have a major impact on how the industry works. Legal cases may require insurers to adhere to new rules that can positively impact your bottom line. A prime example is illegal recoupments. Then ATAC sends out emails or educates members through the organization’s committees.

ATAC has and continues to be a source of education for its members. We have educated our members and beyond on a host of topics from how to file an appeal with DMHC to understanding a virtual strategy for your facility to ensuring that an insurer cannot require IMS. A smarter industry is a more successful industry.

Through our annual and committee meetings, our members can discover one another and build relationships that benefit their individual organizations. Whether it is patient referrals, clinical strategy discussions, or simply an opportunity to share common obstacles, ATAC provides a forum for discussions concerning the successes, failures, and ongoing concerns within the industry.