Vibrant joined 40 national organizations in a letter urging the Departments of Health & Human Services, Labor, and Treasury to finalize parity rules to bolster the Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act of 2008. These regulations will make a significant impact in improving access to services for people living with mental health (MH) and substance abuse disorders (SUD).

Parity for mental health and substance abuse disorder is an urgent issue. Approximately 17.3% of adults in the U.S. have a SUD, but less than 24% of those individuals received SUD treatment. Overdose is a leading cause of death, with more than 107,000 lives lost to the overdose crisis in 2023. Despite this reality, 15 years after the Parity Act was enacted, the Departments noted in their Report to Congress that insurance companies continue failing to conduct complete, detailed, and accurate compliance analyses under the existing standards. A recent report found that individuals living with SUD and MH conditions are forced to go out-of-network 3.5x more often for SUD and MH office visits than for medical/surgical office visits, with more drastic disparities when comparing psychiatrists (8.9x) and psychologists (10.6x) to medical/surgical specialist physicians.

The strides made by the Biden Administration and the Departments of HHS, Labor, and Treasury in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorder are commendable. However, there is still more work to be done. Strengthening enforcement and finalizing rules of the Parity Act is a necessary step towards ensuring that Americans living with mental health and substance use disorders receive equitable access to quality care.

Read the full letter here.