Medicare Mental Health Access Act

Bill: 116-s-2772
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2019-11-05
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health personnel

Medicare

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2019-11-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-11-05
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Medicare Mental Health Access Act</strong></p> <p>This bill expands 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 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2772 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 5, 2019 Mr. Brown (for himself, Mrs. Gillibrand , 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, 2020.