Inseparable Launches “Care That’s Fair” Campaign to End Insurance Barriers to Mental Health Care
Six-figure ad buy to launch national campaign during Mental Health Awareness Month, followed by 15-state legislative push
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Inseparable, a leading bipartisan mental health advocacy organization, today launched “Care That’s Fair,” a national campaign to end insurance industry practices that systematically deny, delay, and limit Americans’ access to mental health care. The campaign includes an initial $250,000 paid advertising push across digital and influencer platforms that will launch during Mental Health Awareness Month in May, anchored by a new ad, “Care That’s Fair,” that calls on Americans to join a movement demanding mental health care that is easy to get and easy to afford. Initially, ads will run in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington with additional spending in more states to follow later in the year.
The campaign arrives as insurance premiums continue to climb, patients increasingly turn to crowdfunding to cover medical costs, and state regulators across the country fine insurers for coverage violations. New focus group research commissioned by Inseparable across four states (Georgia, Michigan, Colorado, and Pennsylvania) underscores the depth of public frustration. When asked to describe health insurance companies in a single word or phrase, respondents used terms like “greedy,” “complicated,” “crooks,” and “bait and switch.” Of the 78 participants, only one had anything positive to say.
CAMPAIGN COMMITMENTS
In addition to the paid advertising push, the Care That’s Fair campaign will include:
- The launch of the Inseparable Coverage Advisory Council, a group of leading legal, policy, and healthcare experts—including former U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for Employee Benefits Security Lisa Gomez, Brookfield Wealth Solutions Managing Partner Michael McRaith, former SAMHSA Assistant Secretary Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, and HEALTH CARE un-covered editor-in-chief Wendell Potter—that helps guide efforts to reform health insurance.
- A platform of 25 high-impact state policies to equip lawmakers and governors, legislators, and state regulators with concrete solutions, paired with briefings in each target state.
- The launch of a public petition calling for better access to affordable mental health care and holding insurance companies accountable.
- The Inseparable Action Mental Health Now 2026 campaign, a nonpartisan effort in which candidates on both sides of the aisle are committing to using their office to advance mental health policy.
- Ongoing research, polling, and focus groups on insurance barriers, plus a webpage dedicated to testimonials from patients sharing their stories.
Already in 2026, Inseparable helped enact coverage legislation in Colorado, Maryland, Utah, and Virginia – and is working to advance bills in additional states, including Delaware, Illinois, New York, and Rhode Island. This builds on previous wins in Connecticut, Montana, New Mexico, Washington, and more.
THE PROBLEM
Millions of Americans are unable to access mental health and substance use care due to a combination of workforce shortages, insurance barriers, and unaffordable out-of-pocket costs—leaving far too many without the treatment they need.
- Nearly half of Americans with a mental health condition receive no treatment; more than 80 percent of people with a substance use disorder go without care.
- 144 million Americans live in areas without enough mental health professionals—often a direct consequence of insurance-driven barriers that push providers out of networks.
- Patients are increasingly relying on platforms like GoFundMe to pay for mental health treatment their insurers deny.
THE POLICY AGENDA
Care That’s Fair will push lawmakers at the state and federal levels to address three categories of reform:
Ensuring Coverage: Guaranteeing coverage for all medically necessary mental health and substance use treatments; aligning “medical necessity” determinations with clinical standards; and holding insurers accountable for violating the law.
Improving Access: Eliminating prior authorization barriers; ending step-therapy policies that force patients to try lower-cost, less-effective medications first; and requiring accurate, up-to-date provider directories.
Making Care Affordable: Ensuring that insurance companies actually cover the care they promise and people pay for with their premiums; limiting out-of-pocket costs; and ending surprise bills for mental health treatment.
“Insurance companies are blocking patients from care they’ve already paid for—and doing it with almost no accountability,” said Bill Smith, Founder and CEO of Inseparable. “Through ‘Care That’s Fair,’ we’re building a movement of patients, providers, and policymakers to demand that every insurance plan covers mental health care fairly, fully, and affordably. Enough is enough.”
The Care That’s Fair campaign builds on the organization’s record to advance access to the fair and affordable care Americans deserve. Since its founding in 2020, more than 100 state mental health bills have passed with Inseparable’s support, including 22 health insurance-specific policy wins across 10 states that improve access to care. For more information, visit CareThatsFair.us.
About Inseparable
Inseparable is a leading mental health advocacy organization founded on the belief that mental health is inseparable from physical health. Inseparable drives transformative change at the federal and state levels by engaging policymakers, mobilizing support and advancing mental health and substance use disorder policies that help people thrive. Inseparable works to expand coverage of care, promote youth mental health, improve crisis response and bolster the mental health workforce.