AXIOS December 20, 2023
The largest expansion of Medicare’s mental health services in a generation can provide a critical lifeline to America’s seniors — if enough providers sign up.
Why it matters: Starting Jan. 1, some 400,000 marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors for the first time can accept Medicare payment, following years of advocacy and amid a mental health crisis that has weighed heavily on seniors.
- These providers, representing about 40% of the country’s mental health workforce, have been largely shut off to Medicare enrollees who couldn’t afford to pay out of pocket.
Context: Medicare for decades has covered psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and services provided by some other mental health professionals. But many refuse to see Medicare patients...
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