Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2005

The Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2005 (S. 784) was designed to expand the types of mental health professionals eligible for reimbursement under Medicare Part B. If passed, the bill would have allowed licensed marriage and family therapists, as well as mental health counselors, to bill Medicare directly for their services.

For senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, this legislation aimed to increase the number of available mental health providers, particularly in rural areas and hospice settings where access to care is often limited. Additionally, the bill would have authorized marriage and family therapists to assist in developing discharge plans for patients transitioning out of hospital care. Despite its introduction, the bill did not advance past the committee stage during the 109th Congress.