Biden pledges 'mental health care is health care' with new rule ensuring mental health parity in insurance coverage

President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new action to guarantee access to mental health care, unveiling a proposed rule that would ensure mental health benefits on private insurance plans more closely mirror physical health benefits.

The proposed rule would reinforce 2008's Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) by requiring insurance providers to update health plans "to make sure people have equivalent access between their mental health and medical benefits," according to an administration fact sheet shared with CNN ahead of Tuesday's announcement.

During an event at the White House, Biden said the moves "represent a real step forward to help millions of people get mental health care they need and that insurance should be providing."

"Folks, you know, I don't know what the difference is between breaking your arm and having a mental breakdown is - it's health, there's no distinction. It's health," Biden said. "You know, we can all agree, mental health care is health care. It is health care, it's essential to people's well-being and their ability to lead a full and productive life, to find joy, to find purpose, to take care of themselves and their loved ones. It's about dignity."

The rule would call on insurers to evaluate coverage based on a number of benchmarks, including the plan's provider network, how much plans pay for out-of-network coverage and how often prior authorization is required and approved under existing plans, according to the administration.

"These analyses will show plans where they are failing to meet their requirements under the law, and will require plans to improve access to mental health care - by including more mental health professionals in their networks or reducing red tape to get care - to be in compliance with the law," the fact sheet states.

Enforcement of the rule will fall to the departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services, an administration official said.