The Mental Health Project is a Seattle Times initiative focused on covering mental and behavioral health issues. It is funded by Ballmer Group, a national organization focused on economic mobility for children and families. The Seattle Times maintains editorial control over work produced by this team.

Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner has fined Regence BlueShield $550,000 over the health insurer’s failure to follow rules to ensure equitable mental health coverage.

The office found Regence violated state and federal laws for “mental health parity,” which require insurers to provide mental health coverage at a rate comparable to their coverage of medical and surgical benefits.

For example, if a provider offers coverage for unlimited visits to the doctor for a chronic physi

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