U.S. Department Of Labor Narrows Mental Health Parity Enforcement Focus To Three Access-To-Care Areas

The federal Department of Labor (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) narrowed its mental health parity enforcement focus to three areas that can limit access to mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) care: medical necessity review, treatment exclusions, and network adequacy. Under guidance issued September 8, 2026, group health plans and health insurers must continue to comply with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), but EBSA will concentrate its investigations of nonquantitative treatment limitations (NQTLs) on restrictions it considers most likely to prevent access to MH/SUD care.

MHPAEA requires group health plans and health . . .