HHS Secretary Alex Azar said that the agency is not directing or encouraging states to include opioid-abuse treatment, substance-abuse treatment, or mental health benefits in short-term plans and is leaving regulation of the plans up to individual states. Azar also conceded that short-term plans may not be the best option for individuals with substance-use disorders or mental health issues, and that the plans are not meant for all consumers. “The entire point is to defer to states and to restore...