Medicare Mental Health Access Act

Bill: 116-hr-884
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27]
Introduced: 2019-01-30
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health personnel

Medicare

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2020-06-30
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-01-30
action_desc: Introduced in House
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: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 884 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 30, 2019 Ms. Judy Chu of California (for herself, Mr. Smith of Missouri , Ms. Schakowsky , and Mr. Mullin ) 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 subsequently 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 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 subsection (a) shall apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2020.