The Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act of 2026 requires health insurance programs to cover crisis response services for people experiencing mental health or substance use emergencies. These services include mobile crisis response teams, crisis receiving and stabilization facilities that provide short-term observation and treatment, and urgent care centers where people can walk in without an appointment. The bill applies to Medicare, Medicaid, private health plans, TRICARE military insurance, Veterans Affairs, federal employee health insurance, and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
The legislation takes effect three years after enactment for most programs, giving states and insurers time to prepare. Medicare will cover eighty percent of crisis response service costs, while private insurers must treat these services the same as other medical benefits without higher out-of-pocket costs or visit limits. The bill also ensures that ambulance services can transport people in crisis to appropriate mental health facilities rather than emergency rooms when medically appropriate. No specific federal funding amount is specified in the legislation, as coverage requirements are imposed on existing programs.