Medicare Mental Health Access Act

Bill: 115-s-448
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2017-02-27
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health personnel

Medicare

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2017-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-02-27
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Medicare Mental Health Access Act</strong></p> <p>This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to expand the definition of "physician," for purposes of the Medicare program, to include a clinical psychologist with respect to the furnishing of qualified psychologist services.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 448 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 27, 2017 Mr. Brown (for himself and Ms. Collins ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for treatment of clinical psychologists as physicians for purposes of furnishing clinical psychologist services under the Medicare program.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Medicare Mental Health Access Act . 2. Treatment of clinical psychologists as physicians for purposes of furnishing clinical psychologist services (a) In general The first sentence of section 1861(r) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(r) ) is amended— (1) by striking or before (5) ; and (2) by inserting before the period the following: , or (6) a clinical psychologist, but only with respect to the furnishing of qualified psychologist services described in subsection (ii) for which the psychologist is legally authorized to perform by the State and who is acting within the scope of the psychologist’s license (or other authorization under State law) . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2018.