Access to Mental Health Services Act

Bill: 117-hr-8892
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]
Introduced: 2022-09-19
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2022-09-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-09-19
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Access to Mental Health Services Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), jointly with other relevant agencies, to conduct outreach about the federal requirements relating to the availability of, and limitations for, coverage of mental health and substance use disorder crisis services under private health insurance plans.</p> <p>HHS also must report about the coverage of such services under private insurance plans, including what services are covered, the types of providers furnishing the services, and common reimbursement approaches.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8892 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 19, 2022 Ms. Sewell (for herself, Mr. LaHood , and Mr. Kustoff ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means , and Education and Labor , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a public outreach campaign to inform individuals covered under a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage of Federal requirements relating to mental health and substance use disorder crisis services, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Access to Mental Health Services Act . 2. Outreach and report on access to mental health and substance use disorder crisis services under group health plans and health insurance coverage (a) Outreach Not later than January 1, 2024, the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury shall initiate a joint public outreach campaign to inform individuals covered under a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage (as such terms are defined in section 2791 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300gg–91 )) of Federal requirements relating to the availability of, and limitations on the imposition of financial requirements or treatment limitations for, benefits for mental health and substance use disorder crisis services under such plans and coverages. Such outreach shall emphasize the benefits of such mental health and substance use disorder crisis services, including improved individual well-being, and seek to reduce perceived stigma associated with accessing such mental health and substance use disorder crisis services. (b) Report Not later than January 1, 2024, the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury shall submit to Congress a joint report on— (1) coverage of mental health and substance use disorder crisis services under a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage, including— (A) which mental health and substance use disorder services are covered as crisis services; (B) the type of health care providers furnishing such services; and (C) common reimbursement approaches and billing codes used with respect to such services; (2) barriers to individuals covered under a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage accessing mental health and substance use disorder crisis services, including geographic barriers and barriers caused by a limited availability of such mental health and substance use disorder crisis services in certain service areas; and (3) issues relating to unexpected bills such individuals may receive after being furnished such services in certain service settings. (c) Funding In addition to amounts otherwise available for such purposes, there is appropriated $20,000,000, to remain available until expended, for purposes of carrying out this section.