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Your help is urgently needed! Congress has left Washington for the Easter work period and are now in their home states and districts until they return to Washington on Monday, April 28th. Following is an AMHCA Legislative Alert addressing our latest efforts to secure Medicare coverage of mental health counselor's services. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the following information and then take the necessary action! Your help is greatly appreciated.
Counselor Inclusion in Medicare
As you may know, Medicare currently reimburses psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers and clinical nurse specialists for providing outpatient mental health services, but does not reimburse licensed mental health counselors. Lack of coverage by Medicare is costing mental health counselors jobs, clients, and income. AMHCA is working to get mental health counselors covered under Medicare and we need you to help us!
The adoption of a prescription benefit for Medicare beneficiaries and reform of the program are key issues to Congress and the President. Currently, several proposals are being drafted to achieve these goals and AMHCA is working to have our provision included in these proposals. Legislation has been introduced in the Senate to reimburse mental health under Medicare. S, 310, the Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Sens. Craig Thomas (R-WY) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), would reimburse state-licensed mental health counselors. The more cosponsors we can obtain for this legislation, the more likely it is that it will be included in proposals to reform Medicare.
Another bill, S. 646/H.R. 1340, the Medicare Mental Health Modernization Act, is comprehensive legislation to make needed changes to Medicare's mental health benefit, which largely has remained unchanged since 1965. Both S. 646 and H.R. 1340 include our provision to establish coverage of licensed mental health counselors.
Please ask your two Senators to cosponsor BOTH S. 310 and S. 646. Ask your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 1340.
Phone calls are one of the most effective means of communication. The phone number for the U.S. Capitol Switchboard is 202-224-3121. Ask for your Senator and Representative by first and last name. When the receptionist answers, ask for the staff person that covers Medicare issues.
If you want to call your members of Congress in their state and district offices, you can locate their phone numbers in the blue pages of your telephone book. In addition, while they are in their home offices, try to make an appointment to meet with them in person.
Please take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to visit, write or call your Senators and Representative about the importance of Medicare coverage of mental health counselors. If you have any questions about this initiative or need more information, please feel free to contact Beth Powell at 800-326-2642, ext. 105 or by e-mail at
bpowell@amhca.org.
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