Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2018

Bill: 115-s-2613
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2018-03-22
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2018-03-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-03-22
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2018</b></p> <p>This bill increases the Medicare reimbursement rate for clinical social worker services. The bill excludes clinical social worker services from the prospective payment system in which predetermined amounts form the basis for payment under Medicare.</p> <p>Additionally, the bill&nbsp;alters the definition of "clinical social worker services" as it relates to Medicare. Under current law, "clinical social worker services": (1) include services performed for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, and (2) exclude services furnished to an inpatient of a skilled nursing facility as a condition of the facility's participation in the Medicare program. The bill repeals these provisions and instead specifies that such services include certain types of health behavior assessment and intervention.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2613 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 22, 2018 Ms. Stabenow (for herself and Mr. Barrasso ) 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 improve access to mental health services under the Medicare program.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2018 . 2. Improved access to mental health services under the Medicare program (a) Access to clinical social workers Section 1833(a)(1)(F)(ii) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(F)(ii) ) is amended by striking 75 percent of the amount determined for payment of a psychologist under clause (L) and inserting 85 percent of the fee schedule amount provided under section 1848 . (b) Access to clinical social worker services provided to residents of skilled nursing facilities (1) In general Section 1888(e)(2)(A)(ii) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395yy(e)(2)(A)(ii) ) is amended by inserting clinical social worker services, after qualified psychologist services, . (2) Conforming amendment Section 1861(hh)(2) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(hh)(2) ) is amended by striking and other than services furnished to an inpatient of a skilled nursing facility which the facility is required to provide as a requirement for participation . (c) Access to the complete set of clinical social worker services Section 1861(hh)(2) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(hh)(2) ) is further amended by striking for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses (other than services and inserting (including health behavior assessment and intervention (identified as of January 1, 2015, by HCPCS codes 96150 through 96155 (and any succeeding codes)), but not including services . (d) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2019.