Ohio House Bill HB724

Ohio 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Filed/Introduced: 8/6/26
• Introduced: 3/3/26

Caption

To enact section 3902.65 of the Revised Code to require a health benefit plan to provide coverage for annual behavioral health well checks.

Summary

HB724 would require Ohio health benefit plans to cover an annual behavioral health well check for both children and adults. The bill defines that visit as an annual screening and consultation appointment that includes review of medical history, assessment of risk and protective factors, use of a validated behavioral health screening tool, education on healthy lifestyle changes, referrals for ongoing services, and other needed supports. The covered visit could be provided by a range of licensed behavioral health professionals, including certain physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, psychologists, counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and chemical dependency counselors. The bill would prohibit insurers from imposing cost-sharing for the annual behavioral health well check, except where cost-sharing is needed to preserve a plan’s health savings account eligibility under federal tax rules. It also bars prior authorization for the visit and prevents insurers from denying coverage simply because behavioral health and physical health services were provided on the same day or in the same facility. The bill directs the Superintendent of Insurance to adopt rules identifying billing codes and other implementation requirements, and it applies to health benefit plans issued, renewed, or modified on or after January 1, 2027.

Impact

HB724 would add a new insurance coverage mandate to Ohio law by creating section 3902.65 of the Revised Code. It would affect health benefit plans as defined in state law, requiring them to reimburse annual behavioral health well checks under specified billing codes and payment standards, and it would also require the Department of Insurance to issue implementing rules. The bill would likely increase access to preventive behavioral health screening and integrated care services while potentially increasing costs for insurers and, indirectly, premiums or plan design changes for affected health plans and enrollees.

Sentiment

The available context suggests generally favorable or supportive intent, but there is limited recorded debate because the bill was only introduced and has no committee transcript or vote history in the provided materials. The bill’s framing as a preventive coverage mandate and its broad provider list indicate a policy goal of expanding access to behavioral health services and normalizing mental health screening as part of routine care. No formal opposition is documented in the provided record.

Contention

The main likely points of contention are the insurance mandate itself, the prohibition on cost-sharing and prior authorization, and the requirement that insurers reimburse a broad range of licensed behavioral health professionals on comparable terms. Insurers or employer-sponsored plan stakeholders may be concerned about added costs, administrative complexity, and the interaction with health savings account-qualified plans. Another possible issue is the bill’s treatment of integrated care and same-day billing, which could raise implementation questions for carriers and providers even though the bill directs the Superintendent of Insurance to address billing codes and other details by rule.