# What This Bill Does

Right now, Medicare has a rule that requires mental health patients to have at least one in-person visit with a doctor before they can receive mental health care through telehealth (video calls or phone appointments). This bill would remove that requirement, allowing Medicare patients to get mental health treatment entirely through telehealth without ever meeting their provider in person.

The change applies to all mental health services covered by Medicare, including treatment for depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and other mental health conditions. Currently, this in-person requirement is supposed to end after the COVID-19 emergency period officially ends, but this bill would make telehealth mental health services permanent without that initial visit requirement. It also extends the same flexibility to rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers (community health centers that serve low-income areas), removing similar in-person visit restrictions for mental health care at these facilities.

**Who this affects:** Medicare beneficiaries who need mental health treatment, particularly people in rural areas, those with mobility challenges, people with transportation difficulties, and anyone who finds it hard to take time off work for an in-person appointment. This could make mental health care more accessible and convenient for millions of seniors and disabled Americans. The change also benefits mental health providers by allowing them to serve more patients without geographic limitations, potentially reducing wait times for appointments.

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove in-person requirements under Medicare for mental health services furnished through telehealth and telecommunications technology.