On January 29, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor (DOL), and the Treasury jointly issued interim-final rules governing the implementation of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA).  The new rules are still open to comment until May 3 and take effect for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010

The Interim-Final Rules are available here: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-2167.pdf 

The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare also published a factsheet on the MHPAEA regulations available here: http://www.thenationalcouncil.org/galleries/policy-file/01-29-2010%20MHP%20CMS%20fact%20sheet%20FINAL.pdf 

This study examined the federal costs of type 2 diabetes under alternative policies, finding that the current CBO projections do not allow for considerations of the long-term effects of improvements in treating chronic conditions.  The authors also discuss the broader implication of these findings for health care reform. 

Huang, E. S., Basu, A., O'Grady, M. J. et al. (2009). Using clinical information to project federal health care spending. Health Affairs, 28(5), w978-990. DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.28.5.w978. http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.28.5.w978v1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=huang&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=date&resourcetype=HWCIT 

Authors:  Elbert S. Huang, Anirban Basu, Michael J. O'Grady, James C. Capretta.

From Bazelon:

This report presents a summary of federal Medicaid policy as of November 2008 with respect to community mental health services covered under the Clinic, Rehabilitation and Home and Community Based Services (Section 1915(i)) categories of the law. It also presents the results of a review of official state Medicaid policies with respect to these service categories. The report focuses on community-based services and does not discuss institutional services, such as services of hospitals, residential treatment centers for children, group homes or other congregate-care settings.

Full Report:  Following the Rules: A Report on Federal Rules and State Actions to Cover Community Mental Health Services under Medicaid (pdf)