AARP was among several organizations last November that supported the passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act as part of their statement they submitted to the Senate Finance Committee in response to the RFI on behavioral health policy solutions. In a new article appearing in AARP’s Medicare Resource Center on “ Older Adults Struggle to Find Affordable Mental Health Care,” the authors included in their summary section “Time for Change” the following statement: “ And the proposed Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021, introduced in the Senate, would widen the pool of providers that can deliver mental and behavioral mental health services to Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers and psychiatric nurses can do so; mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists cannot be reimbursed by Medicare for their services. The legislation would add an estimated 225,000 licensed behavioral health providers to those available to Medicare beneficiaries. ” To access the full article, please see the link below. https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2022/mental-health-coverage.html With their influence on Capitol Hill on a range of issues, it is encouraging that AARP continues to reinforce messages in their communications in support of our legislation that the Coalition can highlight in our meetings with Congressional staff and in our communication initiatives
Bipartisan Mental Health Access Improvement Act Reintroduced in Congress: Measure Would Allow Mental Health Counselors to Bill Medicare for Treating Seniors On January 31st, the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 286) was re-introduced by Senator Barrasso (R-WY) and Senator Stabenow (D-MI), that will allow mental health counselors to bill Medicare for treating older adults with mental health conditions
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On September 21, the House Ways and Means Committee held a markup that included the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 432) . Here is a link to the markup of the Ways and Means Committee: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/legislation/markups/markup-worker-and-family-support-and-health-legislation This is a great milestone in the journey to get Medicare approved provider status!
The Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) is composed of 75 behavioral health organizations that share information on mental and addiction legislation, policies and regulations at the federal level. On occasion, MHLG will send a letter to all members of Congress on a particular bill under consideration where individual MHLG members sign on and if a certain number of groups support passage of the bill, a communication on MHLG Letterhead will be sent all members of Congress and staff who are responsible for health-related policy, and federal agencies and other groups. AMHCA was instrumental in securing the requisite number of groups to sign on to a communication supporting passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 945 and S. 286) which will allow Medicare to reimburse mental health counselors for treating older adults with mental health conditions. This kind of broad support and formal MHLG letter occurs infrequently, and it is AMHCA’s hope that this letter will spur necessary Congressional action on passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act
S286-HR945 COVID-19 MHLG Letter.pdf
The Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) is composed of 75 behavioral health organizations that share information on mental and addiction legislation, policies and regulations at the federal level. On occasion, MHLG will send a letter to all members of Congress on a particular bill under consideration where individual MHLG members sign on and if a certain number of groups support passage of the bill, a communication on MHLG Letterhead will be sent all members of Congress and staff who are responsible for health-related policy, and federal agencies and other groups. AMHCA was instrumental in securing the requisite number of groups to sign on to a communication supporting passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 945 and S. 286) which will allow Medicare to reimburse mental health counselors for treating older adults with mental health conditions. This kind of broad support and formal MHLG letter occurs infrequently, and it is AMHCA’s hope that this letter will spur necessary Congressional action on passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act. Click here to see the letter: https://www.amhca.org/viewdocument/mental-health-liaison-group-sends-l?
Bipartisan legislation that would include licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), as well as licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), as Medicare providers, has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021, HR 432 , was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Representative John Katko (R-NY)
For more information go to https://www.amhca.org/advocacy/mentalhealthreform Expansion of Medical and Behavioral Health Services The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) promotes the expansion of medical and behavioral health services that are also included in the ten essential benefits of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). AMHCA advocates for inclusion of Clinical Mental Health Counselors (CMHCs). The CMHC acronym applies to all clinical mental health counselors irrespective of their state title (e.g., Licensed Professional Counselor or LPC)
Mental Health Reform Paper.pdf
Bipartisan legislation that would include licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), as well as licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), as Medicare providers, has just been introduced in the United States Senate. The Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021, S. 828, was introduced in the Senate by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Tell your elected officials to pass H.R. 3032 and S. 1879 – the Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2017. Tell them the time is now to bring CMHC’s into the Medicare program to address the national opioid crisis and provide access to mental health and substance use services in rural and underserved areas for Medicare beneficiaries The Problem: Many Medicare Beneficiaries Do Not Have Access to Mental Health Providers The elderly and disabled in the Medicare program are often at the highest risk for mental health problems such as depression and suicide
The United Parkinson’s Advocacy Council sent a letter – at the urging of AMHCA -- to Congressional leaders in support of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 945 and S. 286), that would allow clinical mental health counselors to be reimbursed for treating Medicare beneficiaries.