Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-782
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]
Introduced: 2019-03-13
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Medicare

Mental health

Nursing

Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Latest action: action_date: 2019-03-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-03-13
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Improving Access to Mental Health Act of </b><b>2019</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 <em>clinical social worker services</em> as it relates to Medicare. Under current law, such 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 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 782 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 13, 2019 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 2019 . 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 services for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses or services for health and behavior assessment and intervention (identified as of January 1, 2019, by HCPCS codes 96150 through 96161 (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, 2020.