If you have a mental health condition, you deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and under the law you have the right to make decisions about your life, including your treatment. You have the right to receive the services you want, how and where you want them, with full explanation of insurance benefits, treatment options, and side effects. You have the right to be free from all abuses, including the practices of seclusion and restraint, and to live and fully participate in your communities of choice. You also have the right to privacy and to manage who can see your healthcare information.

Laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) establishes requirements for equal opportunities in employment, government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications for people with disabilities, including mental illness.

If you believe you or someone else has been discriminated against because of disability, you or your legal representative may file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights. Any person who believes that he or she has experienced employment discrimination based on a psychiatric disability has a right to file an administrative “charge” or “complaint” with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or a state or local anti-discrimination agency.

Optum Idaho manages behavioral health benefits for Idaho Medicaid members. Visit Optum’s website for information on member rights and responsibilities.

Behavioral Health Parity