The bill H. B. No. 2025-2026 aims to enhance mental health care accessibility by mandating that health benefit plans and the Medicaid program cover annual mental health well checks. It introduces new sections 3902.65 and 5164.11 to the Revised Code, defining a "mental health well check" as an annual visit that includes a comprehensive review of medical history, risk evaluation, the use of validated mental health screening tools, and referrals to ongoing mental health services as needed. The bill specifies that these well checks must be performed by licensed mental health professionals, which includes a range of qualified practitioners such as clinical nurse specialists, physician assistants, psychologists, and licensed counselors.

Under the provisions of the bill, health benefit plans are required to cover these mental health well checks for all enrolled children and adults to the same extent as physical health well checks. Similarly, the Medicaid program is mandated to provide coverage for these annual mental health assessments for all recipients. The bill also directs the superintendent of insurance and the Medicaid director to adopt necessary rules to implement these provisions, ensuring that the new requirements are effectively integrated into existing health care frameworks.