Passage of House Health Care Bill: A Step Closer to LMHC Medicare Reimbursement
On November 7, 2009, the House passed its health care reform bill, H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. This bill includes Medicare reimbursement for LMHCs.
11.10.09
At 11:15 pm on Saturday, November 7, 2009, the United States House of Representatives passed a health care reform bill. For years passage of an omnibus health care reform bill had eluded any body of Congress. H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, introduced by Representative John Dingell of Michigan, who has introduced a universal health care bill every year since he entered Congress in 1955, passed the U.S. House by a vote of 220 to 215.
Among the many provisions included in H.R. 3962 is Medicare reimbursement of licensed mental health counselors, included in Section 1308. AMHCA commends the House for including numerous provisions promoting mental health awareness, prevention, and parity. These provisions, if enacted into law, will greatly benefit mental health practitioners and their clients.
AMHCA continues to rally U.S. Senators for inclusion of the Medicare reimbursement provision contained in Section 1308 of H.R. 3962 in the final Senate health reform bill. Please continue to urge your U.S. Senators to support Medicare reimbursement of licensed mental health counselors by inserting S. 671, Senator Lincolnís Medicare reimbursement for mental health counselors and marriage and family therapistsí provision, into the Senate health reform bill.