Mental Health Counselors included in New House Rural Health Care Legislation

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Jul 6, 2007, 11:03:52 AM7/6/07

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Mental Health Counselors included in New House Rural Health Care
Legislation

The American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), the
American Counseling Association's (ACA) and the National Board of
Certified Counselors (NBCC) efforts to pass Medicare reimbursement for
state-licensed mental health counselors took another step further on
June 26, 2007 , with the introduction of H.R. 2860, the Health Care
Access and Rural Equity (H-CARE) Act of 2007. The bill was introduced
by a bi-partisan group of House Rural Health Caucus members, led by co-
chairs Reps. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) and Greg Walden (R-OR). The
legislation was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee and to
the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill has 53 bipartisan
cosponsors.

In addition to allowing LMHCs to bill Medicare, the H-CARE Act would
adjust Medicare payments to rural hospitals and make a series of
changes to boost funding for rural clinics, doctors and ambulances.
Many of the provisions extend or alter rural health care provisions
that were included in the Medicare Modernization Act passed several
years ago. Although the primary focus of the bill is on rural health
care, the legislation would allow mental health counselors to be
reimbursed in all areas of the country.

The bill is similar to legislation introduced in on June 13, 2007 , by
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) as S. 1605, the Craig Thomas Rural Hospital
and Provider Equity (R-HOPE) Act of 2007, named in honor of the late
Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY), who died on June 4, 2007.

Introduction of the House bill brings to five the total number of
proposals under which mental health counselors would be allowed to
bill Medicare. Bi-partisan legislation is also pending in the Senate
(S. 921), introduced by Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and the late Sen.
Thomas to reimburse mental health counselors under Medicare. In
addition, in March 2007, Reps. Barbara Cubin (R-WY) and Bart Gordon (D-
TN) introduced a House companion bill (H.R. 1588) to S. 921.

Another bill is pending, H.R. 1663, "the Medicare Mental Health
Modernization Act," which was introduced by Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA),
chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, which has
jurisdiction over the Medicare program. This bill, also sponsored by
Reps. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN), would, among
other things, allow mental health counselors to provide mental health
services to Medicare beneficiaries.

ACTION NEEDED

Call your Representative and ask them to cosponsor and support H.R.
2860, the "Health Care Access and Rural Equity Act," sponsored by
Reps. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) and Greg Walden (R-OR) and the Seniors
Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 1588), sponsored by Reps.
Bart Gordon (D-TN) and Barbara Cubin (R-WY).

TARGETS

All members of the U.S. House of Representatives, especially members
of the Ways and Means Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee.
To find out of your Representative member of the Ways and Means
Committee or the Energy and Commerce Committee, visit the committee's
websites at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/ or http://energycommerce.house.gov/.
If you don't know the name of your Representative, visit the website
for the U.S. House at www.house.gov. The U.S. Capitol switchboard can
be reached at 202-224-3121.

SAMPLE MESSAGE

"As a constituent, I am calling to ask the Representative to cosponsor
and support two bills that would allow state-licensed mental health
counselors to provide mental health services to Medicare
beneficiaries. H.R. 2860, the Health Care Access and Rural Equity Act,
and H.R. 1588, the Seniors Mental Health Care Access Improvement Act
would provide better access to mental health care for our nation's
growing number of senior citizens. Access to providers is especially
difficult in rural and underserved areas, and mental health counselors
are often the only mental health provider available".

AMHCA and ACA will continue to meet with members of the House to
increase support for this legislation. If you have any questions or
need additional information, please feel free to contact Beth Powell
at AMHCA at 800-326-2642, ext. 105 or by e-mail at bpo...@amhca.org;
Peter Atlee at ACA at 800-347-6647, ext. 242, or by e-mail at
pat...@counseling.org or Kristi McCaskill at NBCC at 336) 547-0607
ext. 3109 or by e-mail at mcca...@nbcc.org.

To unsubscribe from the GR-Listserv, please send an e-mail to
cl...@counseling.org.

Peter Atlee
Legislative Representative
American Counseling Association
Email: pat...@counseling.org
Phone: 703.823.9800 x242
Fax: 703.823.0953
800.347.6647 x242
www.counseling.org