Five updates to CMS' 2023 physician fee schedule are poised to make mental healthcare in the U.S. more accessible to Medicare patients in underserved areas.
Addressing the barriers to accessing quality, affordable mental health treatment has been a priority for industry leaders, payers and others.
Here are the updates made to the fee schedule for 2023 made to make quality mental healthcare more accessible to those in traditionally underserved areas.
- CMS will now pay for licensed professional counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists and other behavioral health providers to practice without a nurse or physician physically present and permits them to provide telehealth services.
- An increase in the payment for individual therapy services and opioid treatment programs that include services offered through mobile units and telehealth.
- CMS will reimburse behavioral health providers the same amount as primary care providers.
- Medicare will cover comprehensive, team-based treatments for chronic pain and pain management.
- CMS will now offer advanced shared payments to new and smaller size Accountable Care Organizations, which will allow them to use the funds immediately to onboard behavioral health providers.