Senators Coons, Barrasso introduce bill to support mental health service providers

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced bipartisan legislation to support mental health providers and strengthen access to mental health care services. The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act would increase Medicare reimbursement rates for clinical social workers (CSWs), marriage and family therapists (MFTs), and mental health counselors (MHCs).

"Mental health care is health care, and the professionals who provide that care deserve to be paid fairly for their work," said Senator Coons."This bipartisan bill will fix the harmful and longstanding practice of paying mental health care workers less than other providers, so we can keep and recruit more mental health care providers and make sure Americans get the care they need."

"Rural communities in Wyoming and across the country often face the greatest shortage of mental health providers," said Senator Barrasso. "As a doctor, I know firsthand how important it is to recruit and maintain quality mental health professionals. Our bill addresses these issues by ensuring mental health service providers are compensated fairly under Medicare. This will help expand access to mental health services and address workforce challenges in rural communities."

The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act would increase Medicare reimbursement rates for CSWs, MFTs, and MHCs from 75% to 85% of the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) amount for covered mental health services. This legislation will help expand access to mental health services and address workforce shortages by aligning reimbursement rates with those of other health care providers with comparable education and licensure requirements.

The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.).

The legislation is endorsed by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the American Counseling Association, Centerstone, the Clinical Social Work Association, Jewish Family Services of Delaware, the Medicare Mental Health Workforce Coalition, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Association of Social Workers, and the National Board for Certified Counselors.

"The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) supports all avenues that strengthen the mental health workforce throughout the United States. NASW applauds Senators John Barrasso, MD and Chris Coons' actions to increase Medicare reimbursement for clinical social workers (CSWs) via the Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act. Providing adequate reimbursement for CSWs not only increases compensation that has remained stationary since the 1990s but ensures their ability to provide much-needed support and services to Medicare beneficiaries who need access to critical mental health services. This legislation would help clinical social workers support those experiencing mental health crises without concern for reimbursement," said Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C, Chief Executive Officer, NASW.

"The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act is necessary to help address the lack of access to behavioral health services that Medicare beneficiaries encounter. By increasing the Medicare reimbursement rates for marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers and mental health counselors, this legislation will increase the number of Medicare-eligible behavioral health providers. The American Association for Marriage and Family is pleased to join with our colleagues in the clinical social work and mental health counseling professions in support of this legislation," said Christine Michaels, Chief Executive Officer with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

"Addressing the nation's mental health workforce shortage requires meaningful investment in the providers delivering care," said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). "Ensuring providers are fairly compensated is critical to expanding the mental health workforce and ensuring people covered by Medicare can get the care they need, when they need it. The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act would strengthen access by increasing reimbursements for mental health providers under Medicare. NAMI is proud to support this bipartisan legislation and thanks Sen. John Barrasso and Sen. Chris Coons for their leadership in addressing our nation's mental health needs."

"The National Board for Certified Counselors strongly supports the Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act. Mental health counselors are essential healthcare providers serving Medicare beneficiaries with serious mental health conditions, yet we're reimbursed at 75 percent of the physician fee schedule-a disparity that undermines recruitment, retention, and access to care. This bill increases reimbursement to 85 percent, acknowledging the value of counseling services, incentivizing providers to serve older adults, and directly expanding mental health access for seniors who desperately need these services. This is not just fair compensation-it's an investment in the mental health of America's older adults," said Kylie P. Dotson-Blake, President & CEO of the National Board for Certified Counselors.

"The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act represents a critical step forward. Increasing reimbursement rates would provide much-needed support to the provider workforce, ensuring they are fairly compensated for the essential, life-changing work they do every day. These providers play a vital role in expanding access to mental health care, and investing in them is an investment in healthier communities," said Brian Banks, CEO of the American Counseling Association.

"Jewish Family Services of Delaware (JFS) thanks Senators Coons and Barrasso for introducing the Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act. As we see the need for mental health supports rising, the demands on practitioners grow. It is imperative that they are compensated appropriately for the life-saving service they provide. Raising the pay of Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Marriage and Family Therapists from 75% to 85% of the Medicare PFS shows serious commitment to serious challenges," said John Fisher-Klein, Interim CEO of Jewish Family Services of Delaware.

Communities across the country continue to face significant shortages of mental health providers. CSWs, MFTs, and MHCs play a critical role in delivering behavioral health services, yet Medicare reimburses these clinicians at a lower percentage of the PFS than other health care professionals.

Currently, 40% of the U.S. population, approximately 137 million people, live in a mental health professional shortage area, and rural counties are the most impacted. Strengthening support for the more than 166,000 CSWs, MFTs, and MHCs enrolled in Medicare Part B will help expand access to mental health services and address workforce shortages.

Read the full text of the bill here.