To enact sections 3902.65 and 5164.11 of the Revised Code to require health benefit plans and the Medicaid program to cover annual mental health well checks.
HB856 would require Ohio health benefit plans and the Medicaid program to cover an annual "mental health well check" for children and adults, in the same way that physical annual checkups are covered. The bill defines a mental health well check as an annual visit that includes review of medical history, assessment of risk and protective factors, use of a validated screening tool appropriate to the patient’s development, education on healthy lifestyle changes, referral to ongoing mental health services when needed, and other supports as appropriate.
The bill also defines who may perform the service, including certain physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, psychologists, counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and chemical dependency counselors. It directs the Superintendent of Insurance and the Medicaid Director to adopt rules to implement the new coverage requirements. The private insurance mandate would apply to health benefit plans issued, delivered, modified, or renewed on or after the effective date.
If enacted, HB856 would add new coverage mandates to Ohio insurance law and Medicaid law by creating sections 3902.65 and 5164.11 of the Revised Code. Health insurers would have to cover annual mental health well checks for enrollees, and Medicaid would have to cover the same service for recipients, subject to agency rulemaking. The bill could increase access to preventive mental health screening and early intervention services, and it would affect insurers, Medicaid administrators, licensed mental health professionals, and covered individuals across the state.
The bill appears to have a generally supportive policy posture based on its introduction with bipartisan cosponsors and its straightforward preventive-care framing. No committee transcript or vote record is available here, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or amendment debate in the provided materials. The measure’s structure suggests it is intended as a mental-health parity and early-screening proposal rather than a controversial benefit reduction or eligibility change.
The main potential points of contention are likely to be the cost and administrative burden of mandating a new covered benefit for both private plans and Medicaid, and the scope of providers authorized to perform the well checks. Insurers or budget-conscious stakeholders could question utilization, reimbursement, and implementation costs, while mental health advocates would likely support the preventive screening requirement and broader access to care. Because no hearing transcript is provided, specific objections or supporters are not identified in the record supplied.