Currently, Medicare covers mental health services and visits with the following professionals:
- Psychiatrists
- Clinical psychologists
- Clinical social workers
- Nurse practitioners
- Clinical nurse specialists
- Physician assistants
You might notice that a few mental health professionals are not included in this list. I’m talking licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, and licensed professional counselors. For the past few years, rumor has said that visits with these professionals would soon be covered under Medicare. Are we any closer to this goal in 2018?
Congress is currently considering two bills, S. 1879 and H.R. 3032, or the Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2017. If these two bills pass, marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services will be covered under Medicare. Hence, masters-level mental health providers may soon be able to be credentialed with Medicare!
Stay tuned for more, or call us at 1-855-664-5154 for the most recent updates.
So how are you currently billing medicare as a LMHC? Are you utilizing incident to? please advise for those that are in a practice with nurse practitioners or psychiatrists. I understand that psychiatric nurse practitioners may now be able to bill incident to for LMHC?
http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/se0441.pdf
I agree 100% with everyone’s comments. last time i checked my master’s program was a bit more extensive than any social work program I have ever seen, yet we as LMHC’s, LPC’s do not earn the same respect or pay as LCSW’s. something is just not right. As always it comes down to money and politics. I have been in the counseling field since 2003 and often find myself charging barely nothing or working pro bono for people just to make sure they receive services they need, as I work in a rural area and many of these people are on Medicare. I have written my Congressman, I think they stink and just want the paycheck once they get into office. I think they should spend one day doing what we do and they tell us we don’t have the right to receive the same pay/rights to make a living/provide the same services to others as LCSW’s. thoughts?
I agree with your comments regarding the inability to bill for Medicare and Medicaid in private practice arenas. It is a sad state of affairs and I too believe that it comes down to lobbying. We counselors are trained in counseling techniques and have the expertise, yet social workers get the benefits of better jobs and careers. It is so unfair that we are being discriminated against and no one seems to care!! I hope that some attorneys out there consider whether credentialed counselors have a case for a civil suit for this unfair and discriminatory practice. Many other states treat counselors the same as other mental health professionals and afford the same rights and benefits.
Yes, this is so true; in SC I was paneled by BC/BC as a LPC. I had no idea Excellus (BC/BS- Rochester) denied LMHC’s in NYS until i moved here. What can be done.? I am quite tired of LMHC’s being discriminated against, here in NYS. I will do whatever is needed, or would be helpful to have the LMHC afforded the same opportunities as social workers with insurance panels in NY!
I agree that LPC’s should be able to bill medicare. It is a shame to realize that it is about lobbying.
I have been following the discussion around LPCC’s (Ohio) being credentialed by Medicare for well over 2 years. I have 20+ years as a therapist, have extensive skill and post graduate training and certifications. I am on numerous insurance panels and yet cannot be considered as a Medicare provider because my professional associations have had limited success in lobbying congress to have counselors considered a Medicare provider. Pure baloney. I challenge all counselors who read this to flood calls to their congress man to put us on panels. I have to turn away Medicare patients who want to access my services because Medicare will not credential me….horse hockey and all that…….the string of emails coming out of this been going on for 2 years…thanks for reading this and we as counselors need to stand up and be noticed and let Medicare and congress know who we are!
Yes! Agreed 1000 Percent!!!
I also understand that legislation has been pending for some time and that a real barrier to passing the legislation that would enable counselors to bill is the fact that our assoications likely lack the amount of necessary lobbying to affect that bill in getting passed. A real shame that it would come down to lobbying…so I have contacted the local ohio counseling association as well as American Counseling association to lobby them and press them to use the fees I pay them to represent our agenda…please do the same with your local association…I am getting off my butt and really concerned about us being unfairly blocked from what rightfully is a nobrainer to be able to bill! So I will do my part and put my effort forward…will you????
Hi Tony,
As an LMHC in private practice I totally agree with your statements. I have written to Massachusetts government officials about this issue. In Mass I can now accept a One-Care insurance for Medicare-Medicaid, and have been on Tricare, the federally funded panel for a year. I am also paneled on many other insurances and must still either turn away Medicare clients who don’t want a One Care plan or see them for free (which I have done). It is time!
I wholeheartedly agree. I’ve been in private practice for over 28 years, and have extensive experience also and have been following this for several years as well! This only makes sense to continue to lobby for our right to bill!
I have been a LMHC in Florida since 1997 and a CAP since 1990. I work with LCSWs.
We do the same therapy and see the same people. It is not in the best interest of client or staff.
I have been seeing a couple for a couple of years and recently the young man got on disability. Without my knowledge, the insurance policy became a Medicare policy. I got a letter from the insurance company yesterday and now have to write a check to the insurance company for all they paid me. This is HORRIBLE! I have two questions…1. Do I also have to pay back the couple for their co-insurance/co-pays? and 2. Can I see them on a self-pay basis?