Trump admin weighs cutting protections for mental health treatment coverage

The Trump Administration has until May 12 to decide whether it will defend the Biden-era regulations.

Millions of Americans’ access to mental health and addiction care may be in jeopardy.

The Trump Administration will soon decide whether it will defend Biden-era regulations that aim to enforce mental health parity – making insurers cover treatments for mental illnesses and addiction as they would cover a physical ailment.

The regulations require insurers to provide “meaningful benefits” – as defined by independent medical standards – for mental health conditions and addiction treatment the same way they would cover physical conditions, KFF Health News reported.

Insurers would also be required to go beyond the written words of their policies to see how they work in practice. If patients are forced to seek out-of-network care more often for mental health issues than physical issues, the insurer’s policies must be changed, according to the rule.

The Trump Administration is facing a May 12 deadline to decide whether it will defend the Biden-era regulations in court against a trade association representing about 100 large employers.

The Trump Administration will soon decide whether it will defend Biden-era regulations that push for mental health parity. (AP)

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act Industry Committee, which represents several Fortune 500 companies including PepsiCo and Comcast, sued the federal government over the regulations in January.

The group claims the regulations overstep government authority, would increase costs and potentially risk lowering the quality of care.

If the Trump Administration decides against defending the regulations, the rules could be scrapped, according to the report.

While mental health clinicians, patients and advocates are urging the White House to fight back, the Trump Administration has been working overtime to try and shrink government spending.

Trump’s administration and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency say it has saved $160 billion through its cuts, however a nonpartisan research and advocacy group has estimated that DOGE’s actions will cost $135 billion this fiscal year, according to CBS News.