On 17 January 2025, the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC), a trade organisation representing large employers, filed a lawsuit against US federal agencies in an attempt to overturn new mental health care rules. These rules, implemented under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, mandate stricter regulations on how health plans provide mental health and substance use disorder benefits. ERIC argues that these requirements go beyond the government’s legal authority, are poorly defined, and impose unreasonable burdens on employers.

ERIC claims that certain provisions of the rules, effective from 1 January 2025, are rushed and fail to provide adequate clarity, potentially causing costly logistical disruptions. Key points of contention include vague terms, excessive reporting obligations, and rules that ERIC says override employer discretion in designing health plans.

Critics of the lawsuit argue that relaxing these rules could weaken access to critical care for mental health and substance use disorders, allowing disparities to persist. However, legal pushback like this highlights the growing tension between regulatory bodies and organisations navigating these evolving standards.

Source: Mondaq