Gov. Whitmer signs bill to expand mental health insurance coverage in Michigan
(CBS DETROIT) - Treatment for mental health and substance use disorders can add up quickly.
A new bill signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday aims to make sure insurance covers mental health treatments like physical health services.
"Insurance can cover anywhere from $60 an hour to $200 an hour, so if you're thinking of something that is ongoing and maybe even weekly, that can really add up," said Duane Breijak, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers Michigan.
According to 2021 data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, more than half of people with a mental health condition did not receive any treatment in the year before. Of the more than 420,000 Michigan adults who did not receive care, 38.4% didn't because of the cost.
"By just making it part of our normal healthcare process, I think that will open up big doors for people to just start accessing what they should have for years," Breijak said.
The bill expands coverage requirements for insurance providers in Michigan to the same level as medical coverage. So providers couldn't impose higher deductibles, copays, or out-of-pocket maximums for mental health coverage. Providers also can't place restrictions on the number or frequency of treatments.
"It also gives us the authority to go after bad actors and raises the issue of substance abuse. As we all know, mental health is just as important as our physical health," said Whitmer during her remarks on Tuesday.