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HB 4070OREGONSession 2026R1State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Oregon Requires Parity for Behavioral Health Care and Restricts Penalties on Coordinated Care Organizations

Original title: Requires the Oregon Health Authority and coordinated care organizations to ensure that access to behavioral health treatment in the medical assistance program is comparable to access to medical and surgical treatment and that limitations are applied to behavioral health treatment no more stringently than to medical and surgical treatment.

Last action · April 6, 2026: Chapter 44, (2026 Laws): Effective date June 5, 2026.

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

The Oregon Health Authority and s are required to ensure that access to behavioral health treatment is comparable to medical and surgical treatment, with limitations applied no more stringently. Enacted in 2026, the measure also prohibits negative findings or penalties against coordinated care organizations based on state-created templates unless there is a material deviation, and establishes standards for telehealth reimbursement and external quality reviews, taking effect June 5, 2026, with certain provisions operative January 1, 2027.

Why it matters

Changes insurance coverage and reporting mandates for s and health insurers across Oregon, directly altering how mental health and substance use disorder treatments are authorized, reviewed, and reimbursed for medical assistance recipients and insured individuals.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Oregon Health Authority

The authority must prescribe reporting forms, conduct annual reviews, enforce mental health parity, and reimburse telehealth services at equivalent rates.

Directly affected

Coordinated care organizations

Coordinated care organizations must submit annual compliance data regarding mental health parity and adhere to nonquantitative treatment limitations.

Directly affected

Behavioral health treatment providers

Providers experience updated statutory definitions, parity in treatment limitations, and protected reimbursement rates for telehealth and in-person services.

Directly affected

Group health insurers

Insurers must provide coverage for behavioral health conditions under terms and reimbursement rates in parity with medical and surgical treatment.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does House Bill 4070 require regarding behavioral health treatment?
The Act requires the Oregon Health Authority and s to ensure that access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment is comparable to medical and surgical treatment, and that limitations are applied no more stringently.
When must coordinated care organizations report on mental health parity?
s must report compliance data to the Oregon Health Authority on or before June 1 of each calendar year, following form and manner prescriptions issued by the authority by March 1.
How does the Act affect telehealth reimbursement?
The Oregon Health Authority must pay the same reimbursement rate for a health service regardless of whether it is provided in person or using permissible applications or technology.
Can coordinated care organizations be penalized based on state-provided templates?
No, the Oregon Health Authority or a contracted review organization may not make a negative finding or impose a penalty on a based on documents or templates created by the authority unless there is a material deviation from the compliance standard.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

19 actions
  1. Apr 6, 2026House
    Chapter 44, (2026 Laws): Effective date June 5, 2026.
  2. Mar 31, 2026House
    Governor signed.
  3. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    President signed.
  4. Mar 5, 2026House
    Speaker signed.
  5. Mar 4, 2026House
    House concurred in Senate amendments and repassed bill.
  6. Mar 3, 2026Senate
    Third reading. Carried by Anderson. Passed.
Show 13 earlier actions
  1. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    Second reading.
  2. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Recommendation: Do pass with amendments to the A-Eng. bill. (Printed B-Eng.)
  3. Feb 26, 2026Senate
    Public Hearing and Work Session held.
  4. Feb 24, 2026Senate
    Public Hearing held.
  5. Feb 19, 2026Senate
    Referred to Early Childhood and Behavioral Health.
  6. Feb 19, 2026Senate
    First reading. Referred to President's desk.
  7. Feb 18, 2026House
    Third reading. Carried by Nosse. Passed.
  8. Feb 17, 2026House
    Second reading.
  9. Feb 16, 2026House
    Recommendation: Do pass with amendments and be printed A-Engrossed.
  10. Feb 12, 2026House
    Work Session held.
  11. Feb 5, 2026House
    Public Hearing held.
  12. Feb 2, 2026House
    Referred to Behavioral Health.
  13. Feb 2, 2026House
    First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Comprehensive Alignment of Behavioral and Medical Health Parity

The legislation systematically updates multiple chapters of Oregon Revised Statutes to align behavioral health coverage standards directly with medical and surgical care requirements.

Oregon Health Authority

Connected Entities

Oregon Board of Psychology, House Interim Committee on Behavioral Health, Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine and 15 more
OrganizationOregon Board of Psychology“Board licensing psychologists.”Map →
OrganizationHouse Interim Committee on Behavioral Health“Legislative committee that requested the introduction of House Bill 4070.”Map →
OrganizationOregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine“Board licensing naturopathic physicians.”Map →
OrganizationOregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission“Commission certifying and transferring revenues to the Mental Health and Substan”Map →
PersonTina Kotek“Governor of Oregon.”Map →
OrganizationOregon Health Authority“State agency responsible for administering health programs and adopting rules un”Map →
OrganizationConsumer Advisory Council“Council collaborating with the authority to assess coordinated care organization”Map →
OrganizationState Board of Licensed Social Workers“Board authorizing and licensing regulated social workers.”Map →
OrganizationOregon State Board of Nursing“Board licensing nurse practitioners.”Map →
PersonRob Wagner“President of the Senate.”Map →
PersonTimothy G. Sekerak“Chief Clerk of the House.”Map →
OrganizationAlcohol and Drug Policy Commission“Commission adopting budget priority policies for substance use programs.”Map →
OrganizationHealth Evidence Review Commission“Commission that compiles the prioritized list of health services.”Map →
PersonJulie Fahey“Speaker of the House.”Map →
PersonTobias Read“Secretary of State of Oregon.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Human Services“State department responsible for developmental disabilities services and childre”Map →
PersonRepresentative Hai Pham“Legislator at whose request the bill was introduced.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Consumer and Business Services“Department prescribing rules for behavioral health conditions and utilization re”Map →

Sources

Open source document

olis.oregonlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy25
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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