Inclusion of telehealth flexibility in budget bill will improve access to affordable mental health care

WASHINGTON, DC –  As the U.S. Senate continues to negotiate the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” Republicans’ sweeping budget reconciliation legislation, the American Benefits Council is urging the addition of an expired telehealth measure to the bill.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act of 2020 (ultimately signed into law during President Trump’s first term) allowed individuals to access telehealth services without first meeting a deductible in an HDHP. Despite bipartisan support for an extension of this provision at the end of 2024, the extension was not approved by Congress and the provision formally expired at the end of 2024.

This provision has brought care – particularly mental health care – within reach of employees and their families in communities across the country, including those in rural and underserved areas. With the expiration of this provision, employees in HSA-eligible plans now must pay higher out-of-pocket costs to access telehealth services – including tele-mental health services, where health care provider shortages are particularly acute.

Citing extensive public health statistics and polling data, the Council’s June 9 letter underscores employers’ commitment to the mental health and well-being of their workforces and calls on Congress to “to add a provision that would allow telehealth to be offered pre-deductible in HSA-eligible plans to the reconciliation legislation, thereby removing a barrier to affordable telehealth services for millions of Americans.” Ideally, this would take the form of the bipartisan Telehealth Expansion Act, which was introduced in late February and would make this flexibility permanent.

“Allowing this lifeline to affordable care to expire at the end of 2024 has raised the cost of virtual care for much-needed mental health and other services,” the Council wrote. “We again call upon Congress to restore access to affordable telehealth services by including such legislation in the reconciliation package.”

# # #