Vibrant Emotional Health joined more than 50 national organizations urging the Senate Finance, House Energy and Commerce, and House Ways and Means Committees to advance the bipartisan Improving Access to Mental Health Act. The Act will support the United States’ aging population by ensuring clinical social workers (CSWs) can provide their full range of services to Medicare beneficiaries.

The Improving Access to Mental Health Act will ensure a stable mental health workforce for CSWs into the future by reducing the Medicare reimbursement disparity that many face. The Act will align the Medicare reimbursement rate for CSWs with the rate paid to most non-physician healthcare providers.

The number of Medicare beneficiaries is projected to rise by at least 30% over the next 15 years to nearly 80 million Americans by 2030. As more Americans grow older, common age-related challenges such as chronic medical conditions and functional limitations will be amplified by increasing mental health concerns.

Advancing the Improving Access to Mental Health Act will allow current and future generations of Medicare beneficiaries access to quality mental healthcare.