Biden Administration’s Final Rule Elevates Mental Health Equity, First Step to Rectify Inadequate Provider Networks
AUSTIN, Texas (September 13, 2024) – The Texas Association of Behavioral Health Systems (TABHS) this week applauded a monumental step forward for mental health care and the millions of Americans who deserve the same level of treatment and insurance coverage as they would receive for physical health challenges.
The Biden administration’s final mental health parity rule strengthen protections for mental health care coverage created by the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), adding teeth to the existing law and defenses against health plans that discriminate against individuals with mental health conditions.
“The Biden administration’s final rule on mental health parity is a historic step in hardwiring accountability among payers and coverage equity for individuals in need of essential services,” said Stuart Archer, Chairman of the TABHS and CEO of Oceans Healthcare. “As providers, we see every day the fallout of unfair and unequitable practices when those we serve – family members, friends and neighbors in our communities – can’t access or get coverage for the often lifesaving care they need.”
The rule, released Sept. 9, 2024, will require health insurance plans to collect and report data that will shed light on how the plans deny mental health claims and the adequacy of the plans’ provider networks. The data will create tools to address the health plans’ deficiencies. It also requires plans to ensure that “essential” mental health and addiction treatment services are covered.
Lack of adequate coverage can be linked to several negative industry influencers impacting access to care, including contributing to a scarcity of behavioral health professionals because of low or no reimbursement for services and hesitancy by individuals to seek care for fear of incurring financial burden.
Click here for the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare’s overview of the final rule.
“Our nation is managing a worsening mental health crisis and for far too long our industry has been held hostage to arcane and outdated stigmas that mental health takes a backseat to physical care, it hides in the shadows and deserves fewer supports,” Archer said. “The tides are turning, and this is the first major step. The administration’s final rule, our industrywide collaboration like TABHS and other state and local legislative momentum right now, I feel, can truly take us even further.”
About TABHS
TABHS was founded in 2024 to serve as the united voice for over 65 behavioral health hospitals that provide the highest level of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health care to Texans.
Visit www.www.tabhs.com to learn more.
