Biden-Harris Administration’s New Plan Will Ensure Improved Coverage for Mental Health Services 

(972) 510-3395 | [email protected] (Washington, DC) –  Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a plan to ensure insurers cover mental health and addiction care. This plan builds upon the 1996 Mental Health Parity Act, which prevented annual or lifetime dollar limits on mental health benefits. Despite amendments to the act in 2008 and 2020, there are still loopholes and a lack of compliance by insurance companies. In response, the Administration is proposing a rule that requires insurers to cover mental health and addiction services as comprehensively as physical care. Additionally, insurance companies must evaluate their services to offer inclusive mental health care and ensure that patients are able to access this care. Providing comprehensive mental health and addiction care is necessary to address the mental health crisis. The cost of these services is a significant barrier that prevents young adults from accessing care. The Biden-Harris Administration aims to extend this coverage through a rule-making process by HHS. Should the rule be finalized, insurance companies will have to reevaluate their mental health provider networks and how providers are reimbursed. Additionally, they will have to change their prior authorization processes for mental health, so as to not make them a barrier to accessing care for patients.  In response, Martha Sanchez, Director of Health Policy and Advocacy at Young Invincibles, said:

“This is a critical step forward in increasing access to comprehensive mental health services. For far too long, this critical coverage has come with hefty price tags, and insurance companies have failed to provide affordable options and decent provider networks for patients. One-in-five adults has a mental illness, and significantly reducing costs to these resources will exponentially benefit young adults nationwide. Young Invincibles is excited to see the administration prioritize and invest in mental health and addiction care. Accessing mental health should be as easy and affordable as accessing a primary care physician for routine health management. Mental health is just as important as physical health and we are thrilled to see the Administration acknowledging its importance.”

###