The Trump administration’s decision to not enforce certain mental health parity regulations could hurt access to care, a group of mental health organizations has argued.
In a May 13 statement, six mental health and substance use advocacy organizations said they were “incredibly disheartened by the administration’s response to the damaging ERISA Industry Committee lawsuit which would deprive Americans of the mental health and substance use disorder care they deserve.”
The statement was signed by the Legal Action Center, the American Psychological Association, Inseparable, Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the National Health Law Program.
HHS will not enforce mental health parity regulations implemented by the Biden administration while it reconsiders the rules, according to a May 9 court filing. In January, the ERISA Industry Committee, a group representing large employers, sued to block the regulations, arguing the rules exceeded HHS’ authority.
A judge granted HHS’ request to pause the ERISA Industry Committee’s challenge while it reconsiders the regulations.
The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness, a group representing insurers on mental health issues, praised the decision in a May 12 statement.
The association said it supports mental health parity efforts, but the proposed regulations would have been “unworkable.”
“With the Trump Administration decision not to enforce and to reconsider the final rule, we can make sure we get this right for patients once and for all and ensure that patients will truly benefit from implementation of the rule,” ABHW President and CEO Debbie Witchey said in the statement.
