Congress mandates free primary and mental health visits—but caps them at 3 per year
S. 4754 — Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act of 2026 · Filed by Angus King (I-ME) · Introduced Jun 11, 2026 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill requires health insurance plans to cover at least 3 primary care visits and 3 behavioral health visits per year with zero cost-sharing (no copays, coinsurance, or deductibles). The visits must be treated identically to other covered visits in the same category—same reimbursement rates, no separate limits—and applies to employer plans, individual insurance, and high-deductible health plans.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to mandate zero-cost-sharing coverage for a defined set of primary and behavioral health visits across all major insurance types. It is a straightforward consumer protection measure with no hidden mechanisms.
What the text implies
- The 3-visit annual limit may be insufficient for individuals with chronic conditions or complex behavioral health needs, potentially creating a false sense of coverage while leaving significant gaps.
- Reimbursement-rate parity requirement may incentivize plans to lower rates across all visits in these categories to minimize cost exposure, potentially reducing provider participation or quality.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
health insurance enrollees (consumers); primary care physicians and practices; behavioral health providers (psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, social workers)