Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4202
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-25: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S1616)
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-17T11:03:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026 (S. 4202) aims to improve access to mental health services for Medicare beneficiaries by increasing reimbursement rates for certain non-physician mental health providers.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 1833(a)(1) of the Social Security Act, which governs Medicare payments.
- Increases payment rates for specified mental health services from 75% of the psychologist payment rate to 85% of the Medicare physician fee schedule amount (under Section 1848).
- Applies to subparagraphs (F)(ii) and (FF), likely covering services by clinical social workers and other eligible professionals.
- Makes a minor technical edit to subparagraph (EE) for consistency.
- Effective for services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Replaces the prior lower reimbursement benchmark (75% of psychologist rates) with a higher one (85% of the broader physician fee schedule).
- Aligns payments more closely with standard Medicare physician reimbursements, potentially simplifying the payment structure.
Potential Impacts
- On citizens: Enhanced access to mental health care for Medicare enrollees (primarily seniors and people with disabilities), as higher payments may attract more providers.
- On government agencies: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will administer higher payments, potentially increasing federal Medicare spending.
- No direct impact on international relations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Mental health providers (e.g., clinical social workers, psychologists, and similar professionals billing Medicare).
- Medicare beneficiaries seeking mental health services.
- Federal government (via CMS and increased program costs).
- Taxpayers (potential rise in Medicare expenditures).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Straightforward statutory amendment to Medicare payment rules; no challenges to constitutionality anticipated.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (Republicans and Democrats), signaling broad support for mental health access improvements.
- No broader constitutional issues; focuses narrowly on fiscal adjustments within existing Medicare framework.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (6)
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV], Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV], Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-25: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S1616)
- 2026-03-25: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026 — issued 2026-03-25 — PDF (2 pages)