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Grassroots Action Needed
The conference committee appointed to reconcile differences in the House and Senate-passed versions of Medicare legislation is entering its final phase as conferees seek to come up with a compromise bill to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare and make other changes to the program. As this time, the provision included in the Senate version of the bill (S. 1) to establish coverage of state-licensed mental health counselors has yet to be decided.
Conferees have held meetings since Congress reconvened in early September to iron out differences between the House and Senate versions of the Medicare prescription drug legislation. Although the 17-member panel failed to meet an October 17th deadline that was imposed by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), conferees have tentatively come to agreement on several controversial issues, including a proposal to allow importation of less expensive drugs from Canada. Negotiators, who are facing pressure to speed up their work as the first session of the 108th Congress winds down, have issued a new deadline of November 7th to complete action on the legislation.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Many thanks to each of you for your advocacy work on this issue. Although AMHCA remains optimistic that the counselor-related provision will remain in the final conference bill, please take a few minutes and contact your Senators and Representatives in a last minute push to ensure the provision is retained.
Both Senate and House offices can be reached by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asking for your Senators or Representative.
SUGGESTED MESSAGE FOR SENATORS:
"I am calling to ask the Senator to cosponsor S. 310, the Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act, which would expand Medicare reimbursement to include licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists. S. 310 was originally sponsored by Sen. Craig Thomas and was passed by the Senate as an amendment to the Senate Medicare prescription drug bill."
SUGGESTED MESSAGE FOR REPRESENTATIVES:
"I am calling to ask the Representative to contact the Medicare conference committee to express support for the Senate Medicare bill's provision establishing coverage of state-licensed mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists for medically necessary outpatient mental health services. The provision, sponsored by Senators Thomas and Lincoln, would be a cost-effective way of helping improve Medicare beneficiaries' access to qualified mental health professionals."
Thank you again for any help you can provide. If you have any questions about the Medicare issue, please feel free to contact Beth Powell, director of public policy and professional issues, at 800-326-2642, ext. 105 or by e-mail at
bpowell@amhca.org. |
