APA Joins Health Organizations in Lawsuit Against Expansion of Short-Term Health Plans

Joining a coalition of seven mental health and health advocacy groups, APA filedsuit today in federal court to invalidate a Trump administration rule on short-term, limited duration health plans.The coalition argued in its complaint that thefinal rule, issued last month by three federal agencies, violates the plain-English meaning of “short-term” by allowing the sale of the plans for up to 364 days at a time (up from three months) and “limited duration” by allowing renewals for up to three years (up from 12 months). The plans are sold in the individual market to those without employment-based or government-sponsored insu rance.The coalition also argued that the rule is unlawful because it arbitrarily creates an unauthorized “alternative” to Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant plans and violates the ACA by undercutting compliant plans and making them increasingly unaffordable. APA was joined in the lawsuit by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health America, National Partnership for Women& Families, Association for Community Affiliated Plans, AIDS United, and Little Lobbyists, according to anews release. Short-term health plans may be less expensive than comprehensive plans, but they are not required to cover “essential health benefits,” such as mental health and substance use disorder services, prescription drugs, hospitalization, emergency services, or maternity care. Similarly, short-term plans are not subject to important consumer saf...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: ACA Altha Stewart essential health benefits lawsuit preexisting conditions short-term health plans Source Type: research