JUNE 2, 2025|
Photo – Medicare Card – Courtesy medicare.gov
A new bipartisan bill in Congress aims to make it easier for people on Medicare to access mental health services.
Wyoming Senator John Barrasso is one of the two sponsors. Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, is the other. The bipartisan legislation, called the Expanding Seniors Access to Mental Health Services Act, was introduced in Congress on May 15. The legislation would improve access to licensed clinical social workers for people on Medicare.
Senator Barrasso said in a statement last month that mental health services for seniors is vital. “For those living in rural communities, finding a mental health provider is challenging.” The senator said the bipartisan bill is designed to “help more patients get the care they need.”
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, about one in every five Americans aged 65 and older reported having symptoms of anxiety and depression in February 2023. Many do not receive care.
Senator Coon said in a statement that the bill “fixes … rules and expands Medicare coverage to allow social workers to provide the best care to seniors when they need it most.”
The National Association of Social Workers supports the bill.
