On July 25, 2023, President Biden announced new actions that would improve and strengthen mental health parity requirements and ensure that more than 150 million Americans with private health insurance can better access mental health benefits under their insurance plan. The proposed rule reinforces MHPAEA’s fundamental goal of ensuring that families have the same access to mental health and substance use benefits as they do physical health benefits. And it would make it easier to get in-network mental health care and eliminate barriers to access that keep people from getting the care they need, when they need it. 

Specifically, the proposed rule would:

• Require health plans to make changes when they are providing inadequate access to mental health care. 
• Make it clear what health plans can and cannot do.
• Close existing loopholes. 

Access the Fact Sheet: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Takes Action to Make it Easier to Access In-Network Mental Health Care