HB 2348 Summary

• Requires hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, health care services organizations, disability insurers, and group/blanket disability insurers to provide coverage for behavioral health services (mental health and substance use disorder services) for policies issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.

• Mandates insurers establish procedures to help patients access out-of-network behavioral health providers when in-network providers are unavailable within required timeframes.

• Requires coverage for out-of-network behavioral health services if in-network providers cannot serve patients within: 30 days for routine appointments/referrals/new treatments, 7 days for residential care or hospitalization, or 24 hours for urgent/emergent/crisis services.

• Prohibits patients from paying more than in-network cost-sharing amounts (copayments, coinsurance, deductibles) when using out-of-network providers due to network unavailability; insurers must negotiate rates and hold patients harmless for any overage.

• Requires insurers to document all out-of-network provider payments and provide information to the Department within 20 days of request.