ACA CALL TO
ACTION:
Help Establish Medicare Reimbursement of Counselors! 11.16.09
The counseling profession took a huge step in October when California enacted a counselor licensure law. Now, we're poised to take another big step forward with gaining Medicare reimbursement of counselors. Medicare is the single largest health insurance program in the nation, covering 46 million Americans. And just as the California licensure law wouldn't have passed without hard work on the part of counselors in that state, gaining Medicare coverage of counselors won't happen unless counselors across the country take action.
On Saturday, November 7th, the House of Representatives passed an historic health insurance reform bill--H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act"--including language establishing Medicare reimbursement for medically necessary outpatient mental health services provided by licensed professional counselors. ACA applauds the House for passing this legislation. ACA has long sought to establish Medicare coverage of counselors' services, and has consistently supported expanding health insurance coverage. Counselors can identify their Representative at the House of Representatives website at http://www.house.gov. A listing of how members voted is available here.
Now, we need the Senate to follow the House's lead. The Senate approved counselor Medicare coverage language in both 2003 and 2005, but in both cases the House neglected to go along. With the House already having approved the provision, we simply need the Senate to pass the same provision one more time. The Senate is working toward a vote on health insurance legislation, but unfortunately, the legislation developed to date by the Senate Finance Committee does NOT include Medicare coverage of counselors. Before the health care legislation is sent to the president, the Senate should adopt the House-passed provision establishing Medicare coverage of counselors.
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Listed below are the Senators cosponsoring S. 671, the "Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act." S. 671 simply establishes Medicare coverage of state-licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists, for the same medically necessary outpatient mental health services currently covered when provided by a clinical social worker.: Senator Mark
Begich (AK) If your Senator is not on this list, please take a moment to contact him or her to ask that they sign on as a cosponsor of S. 671. The more cosponsors we can get on S. 671, the more support this shows for including counselor coverage in the final health care bill. Explain why having counselors covered under Medicare is important to you and your community. Let your Senator know that the Senate approved Medicare coverage of counselors in both 2003 and 2005, that counselors meet education and training standards on par with currently covered providers, and that private sector health plans have been covering counselors for many years. Medicare beneficiaries need better access to outpatient mental health services, and deserve the same choice of provider currently enjoyed by those with private health insurance. |
Thank you for your time and help! Each call can help us get closer to tipping the balance in our favor.
A sample message is available on our internet action center website, at http://capwiz.com/counseling.
For more information or for questions, contact:
Scott Barstow
Director of Public Policy and Legislation
American Counseling Association
5999 Stevenson Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22304
703.823.9800 x234
sbarstow@counseling.org
www.counseling.org