White House announces new rules to improve access to mental health care services under private health plans

Final rules updating regulation on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) were announced by the White House today – marking an important step towards removing barriers to insurance coverage of mental health services for autistic individuals. The changes in the final rule reinforce MHPAEA’s fundamental purpose that Americans should have the same access to mental health and substance use benefits as they do physical health benefits, and put requirements in place to direct insurers to comply with mental health parity protections.

Autism Speaks advocated for important updates included in the new rule and commends the Administration’s effort to address inequities faced by autistic individuals and others when seeking access to care. The new rule makes clear that private health insurance providers are obligated to provide meaningful benefits for mental health care, which includes autism care like behavioral therapies. The new policies strengthen consumer protections by requiring health plans to make changes when they are providing inadequate access to mental health care. The rules denounce network inadequacy, manipulation of payment rates, and more restrictive prior authorization policies that make it harder for people to access mental health benefits than their physical health benefits. Importantly, they also close a loophole by applying MHPAEA to all non-federal governmental health plans, ensuring that more than 200 additional health plans, including those offered to state and local government employees, comply with the new requirements.

Despite significant improvements in coverage for mental healthcare over the past decade, many autistic individuals continue to face substantial barriers and gaps in access to needed care, particularly as it relates to mental health-related services. This updated regulation on mental health parity helps improve access and affordability of autism services. Autism Speaks is proud to have led efforts to secure these improvements in the new rule by engaging in the federal rulemaking process and will continue our work to ensure these rights to care are properly enforced. 

Additional resources:

• Autism Speaks submitted comments on the proposed rule
• Webinar with Autism Speaks and EBSA on knowing your rights on mental health parity protections and accessing resources (recording of webinar and copy of presentation)
• Learn more about mental health parity, the newly finalized rule, and what to look for in your health plan