Proposal:Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2019

This proposal is archived and closed to further debate. It was introduced in the 116th Congress, which has concluded, and the bill was not enacted into law.

Bill	S 782
Type of Legislation	Senate Bill
Congress	116
Source	View original on Congress.gov

Geographic Scope

National

Description

Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2019

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.

Additionally, the bill alters the definition of clinical social worker services 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.

Bill Title

Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2019

Linked Goals

• Goal:Promote General Welfare

Steps

• 2019-03-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
• 2019-03-13: Introduced in Senate

Projected Outcome

A more informed proposal or public response aligned with the Promote General Welfare goal.