House lawmakers have introduced legislation to boost Medicare reimbursement for integrated behavioral health services with primary care.
Reps. Lizzie Fletcher, Nicole Malliotakis, August Pfluger and Steven Horsford introduced the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care Act, or COMPLETE Care Act, March 31, according to a news release.
The act would raise Medicare reimbursement rates for some behavioral health services furnished by primary care providers. The bill would also require HHS to offer technical assistance to providers implementing integrated care models.
Several mental health organizations backed the bill, including the American Psychiatric Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Ms. Fletcher introduced a previous version of the bill in 2023. In 2021, Congress passed a law establishing grant funding to support integrated behavioral health models.