MSCI Asks Congressional Leaders To Improve Employee Access To Healthcare, Including Mental Healthcare

The Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) and more than 300 employers, patient advocates, consumer groups, and other stakeholders sent a letter last week to Republican and Democratic leaders in the U.S. House and Senate asking them to make permanent a provision in law that, for the last five years, has provided employers the flexibility to offer employees who have a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA) access to telehealth services pre-deductible.

This provision was enacted in 2020, but it expired at the end of 2024. Because of the expiration, employers are now required to charge employers more to access telehealth services.

The letter, which is available at this link, asks that the provision be reinstated and made retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025. The letter also explains the provision has improved access to healthcare and has improved healthcare affordability. In particular, the provision has expanded access to mental healthcare. Indeed, in 2025, 81 percent of employers said they intended to offer employees and their dependents access to lower- or no-cost mental health support through their tele-mental health provider. “This access is critical to supporting employee and family mental health needs,” the letter said. “Without permanent flexibility, employees will face higher out-of-pocket costs to access this care, creating another barrier to necessary treatment.”

MSCI and its member companies remain committed to the mental health and emotional well-being of industrial metals workers. Virtual care is a key tool to meeting those commitments. Stay tuned to Connecting the Dots for updates as federal lawmakers consider this important issue.