The Senate Finance Committee last week released draft legislation to improve mental health parity and access to behavioral health services in Medicare and Medicaid. According to committee leaders, the discussion draft includes provisions to improve provider directory accuracy in Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care; require the Government Accountability Office to study behavioral health parity in Medicare and Medicaid; and require Medicare to provide guidance to providers on beneficiary access to partial hospitalization services for substance use disorders.

According to the committee, this is the last of five legislative drafts released by the committee’s Bipartisan Behavioral Health Initiative since May; the others focus on telehealth, youth mental health, workforce, and physical and mental health integration.

Related News Articles

Chairperson's File
Public
This month Congress enacted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a sweeping package that contained many of President Trump’s legislative priorities on taxes,…
Headline
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services July 10 rescinded a policy that extended certain federal public benefits to immigrants lacking permanent legal…
Headline
The AHA July 2 expressed support for the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (H.R. 3890), bipartisan legislation that would add 14,000 Medicare-funded…
Headline
The House July 3 voted 218-214 to pass the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), which enacts many of President Trump’s legislative…
Headline
Jon Ulven, Ph.D., behavioral health psychologist and chair of adult psychology at Sanford Health, details the fragile behavioral health landscape in rural…
Headline
The Senate narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) on July 1 by a 50-50 tally, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.…