# Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021

This bill expands Medicare coverage to include mental health services provided by marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors. Currently, Medicare only covers mental health treatment from psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers. This legislation adds two new types of mental health professionals to that list, making their services available to seniors on Medicare.

To qualify for coverage under this bill, marriage and family therapists must have a master's or doctoral degree in their field, at least two years of supervised clinical experience, and be licensed or certified in their state. Mental health counselors must have a master's or doctoral degree in mental health counseling or a related field, plus at least two years of supervised practice experience, and be licensed or certified where required by their state. These requirements ensure that only qualified professionals can bill Medicare for their services.

When seniors use these services, Medicare will cover 80 percent of the cost, calculated at 75 percent of what Medicare pays psychologists for similar services. This means patients would pay 20 percent out of pocket, similar to other Medicare mental health services. The bill also allows these professionals to provide mental health services in rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, and hospice programs, and permits them to help develop discharge plans when patients leave hospitals. These changes take effect on January 1, 2022, giving healthcare providers time to prepare their billing systems and practices.

Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021

Thompson, Mike

Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021 This bill provides for coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services under Medicare. It also excludes such services from the skilled nursing facility prospective payment&nbsp;system, and authorizes marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to develop discharge plans for post-hospital services.