This bill provides additional Medicare payments to healthcare practitioners serving patients with mental health or substance use disorders in mental health professional shortage areas. It covers physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical social workers, psychologists, and therapists.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill provides additional Medicare payments to healthcare practitioners serving patients with mental health or substance use disorders in mental health professional shortage areas. It covers physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical social workers, psychologists, and therapists.
Last updated: 1/5/2026
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>More Behavioral Health Providers Act</strong> <strong>of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill provides for additional Medicare payments to health care practitioners who provide services in mental health professional shortage areas for individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. The bill applies to physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors.</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Provides bonus Medicare payments in shortage areas
Covers mental health and substance use services
Applies to multiple practitioner types
Targets mental health professional shortage areas
Aims to increase provider availability
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
Patients in mental health shortage areas would have better access to providers attracted by increased Medicare payments. This addresses the growing demand for behavioral health services in underserved communities.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Health
Related Subjects
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Medicare
Mental health
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
683, 119th Congress (2025). "More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-683
