Brown, Bennet, Boyle Introduce Legislation to Support Patients with Mental and Physical Health Conditions

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), alongside U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), introduced bicameral legislation to support the holistic health of patients with both mental and physical health conditions. The Mental and Physical Health Care Comorbidities Act would authorize the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to support innovative and evidence-based interventions at hospitals and health systems that serve low-income patients to address how mental and physical health challenges interact and affect one another. 

“Communities of color and other underserved groups continue to feel the significant impact of comorbid mental and physical diseases,” said Brown. “The Mental and Physical Health Care Comorbidities Act, which I am proud to co-lead with Senator Bennet and Congressman Boyle, would ensure our healthcare system is equipped to treat comorbidities that affect our most vulnerable populations and help move us closer to a more just and equitable health care system.” 

“As our country experiences a worsening mental health crisis, we must ensure patients who experience both mental and physical health challenges get the support and care they need,” said Bennet. “Our bicameral bill builds off the experiences of Colorado medical professionals and will empower providers to work together to treat patients with physical and mental health comorbidities holistically.” 

“For too long, mental and physical health treatments have been siloed. This legislation will help hospitals and health systems serving vulnerable communities integrate care for mental and physical health challenges while addressing the social determinants of health,” said Boyle. “These evidence-based solutions will improve health equity and outcomes in medically underserved areas, including my district.” 

The U.S. health care system often fails to address the intersection between mental, behavioral, and physical health, as well as the social determinants of health, including economic status and food insecurity. Many providers who serve patients with mental and physical comorbidities have developed innovative and evidence-based programs that use health and social expertise to attain better outcomes. 

The Mental and Physical Health Care Comorbidities Act would work through the CMMI to help hospitals and health systems improve care and outcomes for patients who face mental and physical health challenges from low-income backgrounds or are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Participating hospitals will be required to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and submit a plan to innovate and better serve uninsured patients, Medicaid recipients, and dually eligible patients. 

Specifically, the Mental and Physical Health Care Comorbidities Act would: 

“The Mental and Physical Comorbidities Act of 2025 is exactly the kind of legislation needed to address both the physical and mental health needs of individuals. It unifies a fragmented health care system and aims to improve outcomes that we commonly see when health needs are addressed holistically. As the largest provider of mental health care in Colorado, Denver Health providers see the challenges when care lacks integration. This act strengthens the care and systems that patients so desperately deserve,” said Donna Lynne, CEO, Denver Health. 

Brown, Bennet, and Boyle previously introduced this bill in 2022. In 2023, Bennet introduced the Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act to expand access to mental and behavioral health care for Americans on Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and Medicaid. Bennet also introduced the Accelerating the Development of Advanced Psychology Trainees (ADAPT) Act to increase access to behavioral, psychological, and mental health services in rural areas. 

The text of the bill is available here.