A Democratic bill with 25 Democratic cosponsors · See all 25 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Mental Health and MAMA Act of 2026," seeks to amend several federal laws including the Public Health Service Act, ERISA, and the Internal Revenue Code. It aims to require group health plans and health insurance issuers that provide mental health or substance use disorder services to eliminate cost-sharing for these services during a specific timeframe. This period begins at the diagnosis of pregnancy and lasts through the one-year period following the end of the pregnancy. The new requirements would apply to plan years beginning at least two years after the act's enactment. Additionally, the bill modifies continuity of care provisions for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +8
Would women be better off under this?
The bill specifically protects pregnant and postpartum individuals by ensuring free access to mental health and substance use disorder services.
- Scored +7
Does this make mental health care easier to get?
The bill eliminates cost-sharing for mental health services from the time of pregnancy diagnosis through one year postpartum.
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The elimination of cost-sharing provides significant financial relief to low-income families needing mental health or substance use services.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Elimination of Out-of-Pocket Costs: For individuals with group health plans or specific health insurance that covers mental health and substance use disorder services, the bill removes cost-saring requirements for in-network providers. This benefit covers the period from the diagnosis of pregnancy through one year after the pregnancy ends (Section 2).
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Access to Telehealth: The bill specifically includes coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services that are provided via telehealth technologies (Section 2).
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Improved Continuity of Care: The bill amends existing laws to adjust how continuity of care is handled for patients who are pregnant or who require mental health or substance use disorder services following a pregnancy (Section 2).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Delayed Implementation: The requirements for health plans to stop imposing cost-sharing do not take effect until plan years beginning at least two years after the date of the section's enactment (Section 2).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill specifically protects pregnant and postpartum individuals by ensuring free access to mental health and substance use disorder services. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The elimination of cost-sharing provides significant financial relief to low-income families needing mental health or substance use services. Would children be better off under this? — Improved mental health support for mothers can lead to better health outcomes for their children. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill reduces out-of-pocket medical costs for middle-income families during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
- Healthcare
- Does this make mental health care easier to get? — The bill eliminates cost-sharing for mental health services from the time of pregnancy diagnosis through one year postpartum. Does this strengthen the Affordable Care Act? — The bill mandates that group health plans remove cost-sharing for mental health and substance use services for pregnant and postpartum individuals.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By removing cost-sharing for essential mental health services, the bill reduces the financial burden on families during pregnancy and postpartum.
- 6/30/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/19/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/3/2026
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 1/22/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Ways and Means, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 17 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Steve CohenDemocrat · Tennessee
Angie CraigDemocrat · Minnesota
Suzan DelBeneDemocrat · Washington
Debbie DingellDemocrat · Michigan
Madeleine DeanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Josh GottheimerDemocrat · New Jersey
Jesús GarcíaDemocrat · Illinois
Steven HorsfordDemocrat · Nevada
Jahana HayesDemocrat · Connecticut
Henry JohnsonDemocrat · Georgia
Stephen LynchDemocrat · Massachusetts
Summer LeeDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Kweisi MfumeDemocrat · Maryland
Seth MoultonDemocrat · Massachusetts
Lucy McBathDemocrat · Georgia
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Chellie PingreeDemocrat · Maine
Terri SewellDemocrat · Alabama
Melanie StansburyDemocrat · New Mexico
Dina TitusDemocrat · Nevada
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Lori TrahanDemocrat · Massachusetts
Ritchie TorresDemocrat · New York
Shri ThanedarDemocrat · Michigan
Bonnie Watson ColemanDemocrat · New Jersey