I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7324 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand eligibility for 
incentives under the Medicare health professional shortage area bonus 
program to practitioners furnishing mental health and substance use 
disorder services. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 3, 2026 
Ms. BUDZINSKI (for herself and Mr. MANN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand 
eligibility for incentives under the Medicare health pro-
fessional shortage area bonus program to practitioners 
furnishing mental health and substance use disorder 
services. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘More Behavioral 
Health Providers Act of 2026’’. 
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SEC. 2. EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR INCENTIVES UNDER 
THE 
MEDICARE 
HEALTH 
PROFESSIONAL 
SHORTAGE AREA BONUS PROGRAM TO PRAC-
TITIONERS FURNISHING MENTAL HEALTH 
AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES. 
Section 1833(m) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395l(m)) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(1) In the case of— 
‘‘(A) physicians’ services (other than specified 
health services that are eligible for the additional 
payment under subparagraph (B)) furnished in a 
year to an individual, who is covered under the in-
surance program established by this part and who 
incurs expenses for such services, in an area that is 
designated (under section 332(a)(1)(A) of the Public 
Health Service Act) as a health professional short-
age area as identified by the Secretary prior to the 
beginning of such year, in addition to the amount 
otherwise paid under this part, there also shall be 
paid to the physician (or to an employer or facility 
in the cases described in clause (A) of section 
1842(b)(6)) (on a monthly or quarterly basis) from 
the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust 
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Fund an amount equal to 10 percent of the payment 
amount for the service under this part; and 
‘‘(B) specified health services (as defined in 
paragraph (5)) furnished in a year to an individual, 
who is covered under the insurance program estab-
lished by this part and who incurs expenses for such 
services, in an area that is designated (under such 
section 332(a)(1)(A)) as a mental health profes-
sional shortage area as identified by the Secretary 
prior to the beginning of such year, in addition to 
the amount otherwise paid under this part, there 
also shall be paid to the physician or applicable 
practitioner (as defined in paragraph (6)) (or to an 
employer or facility in the cases described in clause 
(A) of section 1842(b)(6)) (on a monthly or quar-
terly basis) from such Trust Fund an amount equal 
to 15 percent of the payment amount for the service 
under this part.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘in paragraph (1)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘in subparagraph (A) or (B) of para-
graph (1)’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘or, in the case of speci-
fied health services, the physician or applicable 
practitioner’’ after ‘‘physician’’; 
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‘‘(A) A physician assistant, nurse practitioner, 
or clinical nurse specialist (as defined in section 
1861(aa)(5)). 
‘‘(B) A clinical social worker (as defined in sec-
tion 1861(hh)(1)). 
‘‘(C) A clinical psychologist (as defined by the 
Secretary for purposes of section 1861(ii)). 
‘‘(D) A marriage and family therapist (as de-
fined in section 1861(lll)(2)). 
‘‘(E) A mental health counselor (as defined in 
section 1861(lll)(4)).’’. 
Æ 
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