US Insurance Companies Will Be Required to Increase Access to Mental Health

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1. Insurance companies often make it difficult to access mental health

This new rule will impose changes on insurance companies when they are unwilling to provide adequate access to patients who need mental health treatment. It will also provide specific examples that make it clear that United States health insurers use stricter authorizations than before as well as medical management techniques that narrower so that insurance companies cannot make it harder for people to access mental health services.

"Despite repeated bipartisan efforts aimed at mental health parity, insurance companies too often make it difficult to access mental health care leading to millions of consumers seeking care outside insurance at huge costs higher, paying out-of-pocket or not having any treatment at all." the White House said on Tuesday (25/7/2023) in a fact sheet announcing the proposed regulatory changes, quoted by Reuters.

2. Insurance companies must disclose mental health services

With the regulatory changes, the government is requiring health plans to be evaluated based on their coverage rules, to ensure people have equitable access to their mental health and medical benefits. For example, insurance companies must disclose whether they provide mental health services in their care. Companies would also have to document how often they deny care or require additional authorization before paying for services.

Biden will also ask insurance companies to explain whether they offer services that make it more difficult for people seeking mental health care than those seeking physical care." proposed, health plans should use the same factors in setting out-of-network payment rates for mental health and substance use disorder providers, as they do for medical providers," the White House said, quoted by the Washington Time

3. Addressing mental health is the agenda initiated by Joe Biden

Addressing mental health issues is part of the “unity agenda” that Biden proposed in his 2022 State of the Union address. At that time, Joe Biden called on Congress to join him and said that many Americans need help accessing mental health services. “And let's provide all Americans the mental health services they need. "More people they can ask for help and full parity between physical and mental health care," said Biden, reported by CNN.

The proposed rule would close a loophole that excludes federally provided health insurance plans from complying with the MHPAEA. It's a move the administration estimates will require more than 200 additional health plans to improve mental health care for 90,000 consumers. Once the rule is published in the Federal Register, which is expected to happen next week, it enters a 60-day public comment period before it can be implemented .

US Insurance Companies Will Be Required to Increase Access to Mental Health