More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2025

Gary C. Peters

Democrat · MI · Senator

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Steve Daines (R-MT)Original· 2025-02-24

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

2025-02-24

Source: Congress.gov

This bill aims to increase the number of mental health and substance abuse counselors available to patients by making it easier for behavioral health providers to get licensed and practice across state lines. The changes would likely reduce barriers that currently prevent psychologists, counselors, and therapists from working in multiple states, helping address shortages of mental health services in underserved areas. Patients seeking mental health treatment and healthcare systems struggling to find enough providers would be the main beneficiaries.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 683 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 683 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand eligibility for incentives under the Medicare health professional shortage area bonus program to practitioners furnishing mental health and substance use disorder services. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 24, 2025 Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Daines) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand eligibility for incentives under the Medicare health professional shortage area bonus program to practitioners furnishing mental health and substance use disorder services. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR INCENTIVES UNDER THE MEDICARE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA BONUS PROGRAM TO PRACTITIONERS FURNISHING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES. Section 1833(m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(m)) is amended-- (1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following new paragraph: ``(1) In the case of-- ``(A) physicians' services (other than specified health services that are eligible for the additional payment under subparagraph (B)) furnished in a year to an individual, who is covered under the insurance program established by this part and who incurs expenses for such services, in an area that is designated (under section 332(a)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act) as a health professional shortage area as identified by the Secretary prior to the beginning of such year, in addition to the amount otherwise paid under this part, there also shall be paid to the physician (or to an employer or facility in the cases described in clause (A) of section 1842(b)(6)) (on a monthly or quarterly basis) from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund an amount equal to 10 percent of the payment amount for the service under this part; and ``(B) specified health services (as defined in paragraph (5)) furnished in a year to an individual, who is covered under the insurance program established by this part and who incurs expenses for such services, in an area that is designated (under such section 332(a)(1)(A)) as a mental health professional shortage area as identified by the Secretary prior to the beginning of such year, in addition to the amount otherwise paid under this part, there also shall be paid to the physician or applicable practitioner (as defined in paragraph (6)) (or to an employer or facility in the cases described in clause (A) of section 1842(b)(6)) (on a monthly or quarterly basis) from such Trust Fund an amount equal to 15 percent of the payment amount for the service under this part.''; (2) in paragraph (2)-- (A) by striking ``in paragraph (1)'' and inserting ``in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1)''; and (B) by inserting ``or, in the case of specified health services, the physician or applicable practitioner'' after ``physician''; (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``paragraph (1)'' each place it appears and inserting ``subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1)''; (4) in paragraph (4)-- (A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or applicable practitioner'' after ``physician''; and (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``or applicable practitioner'' after ``physician''; and (5) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: ``(5) In this subsection, the term `specified health services' means services otherwise covered under this…

part that are furnished on or after January 1, 2024, by a physician or an applicable practitioner to an individual-- ``(A) for purposes of diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of a mental health disorder, as determined by the Secretary; or ``(B) with a substance use disorder diagnosis for purposes of treatment of such disorder or co-occurring mental health disorder, as determined by the Secretary. ``(6) In this subsection, the term `applicable practitioner' means the following: ``(A) A physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as defined in section 1861(aa)(5)). ``(B) A clinical social worker (as defined in section 1861(hh)(1)). ``(C) A clinical psychologist (as defined by the Secretary for purposes of section 1861(ii)). ``(D) A marriage and family therapist (as defined in section 1861(lll)(2)). ``(E) A mental health counselor (as defined in section 1861(lll)(4)).''. <all>

• SRES755A resolution honoring the life of the Honorable Donald W. Riegle, Jr., former Senator for the State of Michigan.
  Introduced · 2026-06-01
• S4631Expanding Whistleblower Protections for Contractors Act of 2026
  Passed Senate · 2026-05-21
• S4562AVERT Future Violence Act of 2026
  Referred to Committee · 2026-05-19
• S4563Section 232 Public Transparency Act
  Referred to Committee · 2026-05-19