Medicare Mental Health Access Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 884 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for treatment of clinical psychologists as physicians for purposes of furnishing clinical psychologist services under the Medicare program. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 30, 2019 Ms. JUDY CHU of California (for herself, Mr. SMITH of Missouri, Ms. SCHA- KOWSKY, and Mr. MULLIN) introduced the following bill; which was re- ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently de- termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for treatment of clinical psychologists as physicians for purposes of furnishing clinical psychologist services under the Medicare program. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Mental 4 Health Access Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Feb 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H884.IH H884 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 884 IH SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AS PHY- 1 SICIANS FOR PURPOSES OF FURNISHING 2 CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST SERVICES. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The first sentence of section 4 1861(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(r)) 5 is amended— 6 (1) by striking ‘‘or’’ before ‘‘(5)’’; and 7 (2) by inserting before the period the following: 8 ‘‘, or (6) a clinical psychologist, but only with re- 9 spect to the furnishing of qualified psychologist serv- 10 ices described in subsection (ii) for which the psy- 11 chologist is legally authorized to perform by the 12 State and who is acting within the scope of the psy- 13 chologist’s license (or other authorization under 14 State law)’’. 15 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 16 subsection (a) shall apply to items and services furnished 17 on or after January 1, 2020. 18 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Feb 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H884.IH H884 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS