Updated Monday, December 11th, 2023. The Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Parity Act was included in S. 3430, the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act. 

The text of the Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Parity Act (S. 1592), would ensure Medicare beneficiaries with a mental health diagnosis have access to occupational therapy services by requiring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to publish guidance reiterating that someone with a mental or behavioral health diagnosis can receive occupational therapy services – billed through the OT CPT© codes – under Medicare.

By requiring CMS to provide education and outreach to stakeholders about occupational therapy services for a person with a mental health or substance-use disorder, this bill would help Medicare recipients more readily access occupational therapy services as part of their plan of care for and decrease denials for these services.

While this legislative language has been included in a larger bill, we are still asking for Senators to co-sponsor the original bill to show support for this legislative language that could be removed from the larger language of S. 3430, the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act while it is still in negotiations / the legislative process.

Write your Senators today and ask them to co-sponsor the Occupational Therapy Mental Health Parity Act.