Yesterday, Sept. 21, 2022, the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee approved the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 432) in a key bipartisan vote supporting Medicare coverage for the counseling profession. The bill passed as part of a legislative document, Committee Print 117-2.
In his opening remarks, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) said, “With today’s hearing and markup, we are strengthening mental health care across the continuum. We will consider bills that range from expanding access to a variety of mental health counselors to improving transparency for patients searching for new providers or the health coverage that’s best for them. We also address important changes to the Medicare program, widening access to mental health care to this critical population.”