Those who oppose expanded gun-control legislation frequently argue that instead of limiting access to guns, the country should focus on mental health problems. “People with mental illness are getting guns and committing these mass shootings,” said Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House, after the shooting in San Bernardino, Calif.,early this month. And Republicans in […]

Traditionally, insurance providers and employers have covered treatment for mental health and substance use conditions differently than treatment for other medical conditions. Coverage for mental health care and substance use disorders had its own (usually higher) cost-sharing structure, more restrictive limits on the number of inpatient days and outpatient visits allowed, separate annual and lifetime […]

Advocates are asking regulators to carefully scrutinize two massive health insurance mergers to make sure they won’t harm some of the most vulnerable people in the health care system: mentally ill people, who already struggle to get access to treatment in many places. The proposed mergers would turn the top five insurers in the country into […]