WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ) released the following statement on the final rules issued by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury to strengthen protections and expand equitable access to mental health and substance use disorder benefits:

"I’ve been fighting in Congress for years to ensure that mental and behavioral health are treated the same as any other health condition. That’s why I introduced the Parity Enforcement Act, to give the Department of Labor teeth to enforce the law, help keep health plans honest, and get patients the services they need,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for taking action to ensure that more than 150 million people with private health coverage have greater access to mental health and substance use disorder care. With these new rules, we will remove barriers to health care access and be one step closer to ending the opioid epidemic once and for all."

Last year, Representative Norcross introduced H.R.3752, The Parity Enforcement Act, which will grant the Department of Labor the authority to enforce the parity requirements for group health plans with respect to the coverage of mental health and substance use disorder benefits.

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