Pfluger to Introduce ANCHOR Act to Improve Behavioral Health Care Access

SAN ANGELO, TX — U.S. Rep. August Pfluger is introducing new federal legislation tomorrow that would give states expanded authority to provide Medicaid coverage to uninsured Americans facing serious mental illness and substance use disorders, according to information shared Tuesday with San Angelo LIVE!.

The Access to New Community Health Opportunities and Recovery (ANCHOR) Act of 2025 would amend the Social Security Act to allow states to cover uninsured individuals whose income does not exceed 100% of the federal poverty level and who have been diagnosed with conditions such as serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, opioid use disorder or stimulant use disorder.

“This would be a very positive thing for Texas,” Pfluger’s office stated. In a provided statement, Pfluger said many Americans dealing with severe mental illness “lack the ability to secure the care they desperately need,” adding that the absence of treatment strains emergency rooms, law enforcement and social services. He said he is proud to lead the legislation alongside U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who is introducing a companion bill in the Senate.

Under the proposal, eligible individuals would receive the same scope of medical assistance available to certain existing Medicaid groups. States could enroll someone for an initial one-year period and extend coverage in additional one-year increments if the individual continues to qualify.

The bill outlines several requirements for participating states, including ensuring that enrollees receive a care plan within 60 days of joining the program and reporting behavioral-health quality measures tied to federal Medicaid standards.

Pfluger’s office said the legislation is backed by organizations including the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Texas Academy of Family Physicians and the Texas Hospital Association.