As someone in long-term recovery and an advocate for those battling addiction and mental health conditions, I’ve seen countless families shattered and lives lost because desperately needed care was out of reach. Often, the barrier isn't a lack of effective treatments, but how insurance coverage for the mind is treated as less important than for the body. This is why the current juncture regarding the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act is so critical, and why I urge President Trump to not just preserve but to boldly strengthen parity for all Americans.

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, a landmark 2008 bipartisan law, was meant to end this discrimination. It requires health insurance for mental health and substance use disorders be no more restrictive than for medical or surgical care. Yet, for millions, this promise remains elusive. Insurers adeptly use opaque “non-quantitative treatment limitations” — like restrictive prior authorizations, unequal network adequacy and disparate reimbursement rates — to deny or limit care.

In September 2024, a final rule from the previous administration aimed to close loopholes and enhance enforcement. However, after a January 2025 lawsuit, the Trump administration announced in May a pause on enforcing the 2024 rule. It is now reconsidering, modifying or even rescinding the final rule.

While some see this pause as a setback, I see it as a pivotal moment — an........

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