U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about artificial intelligence in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 21, 2023.President Joe Biden's administration plans to try to force private insurance companies to offer the same coverage for
"That law was passed to ensure that mental health care was treated by our health care system, like physical care," Biden's domestic policy adviser, Neera Tanden, told reporters during a recent telephone call. "Insurance couldn't make you pay more for a visit to a mental health provider than your physician."
After monitoring the way the current system works for the past few years, one official called it "incredibly disappointing" and largely not compliant with the 2008 law. Analyses showed that people can access nutritional counseling if they have diabetes, for example, but not if they have eating disorders.
Exactly when it will be enacted was unclear, though officials said "sometime in the near future." The policy will undergo a 60-day public comment period before implementation. The effectiveness of the rule will be under the watchful eyes of mental health advocates.Tuesday’s announcement follows through on a pledge the president made during his State of the Union address in March 2022.