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Bill

HR 8081

Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Becca Balint and 4 co-sponsors

The bill raises Medicare reimbursements for psychology services from 75% to 85% of the fee schedule, boosting access for beneficiaries starting Jan 1, 2027.

Introduced in House
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Bill Summary · HR 8081

Summary: Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026 (HR 8081, 119th Congress)

Purpose and intent

  • The bill is designed to improve access to mental health services under the Medicare program by increasing reimbursement for psychologists.
  • Specifically, it aims to raise the payment rate for certain mental health services to align more closely with the standard Medicare fee schedule amounts.

Key provisions

  • Amends Medicare payment rules under Section 1833(a)(1) of the Social Security Act.

    • Targeted subparagraphs: F(ii) and FF (which pertain to payments for psychologists under specific payment methodologies).
    • Change in reimbursement:
    • Original: Payment amounts for psychologists under those subparagraphs were set at 75% of the amount determined for payment under the referenced framework.
    • New: Replaces the 75% benchmark with 85% of the fee schedule amount provided under section 1848.
    • In both subparagraphs (F(ii) and FF), the adjustment is to increase the proportion of the fee schedule that is paid to psychologists from 75% to 85%.

  • Effective date:

    • The revised payment amounts apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.

Affected parties and impact

  • Primary affected group: Medicare beneficiaries receiving mental health services from psychologists (and the providers delivering those services).
  • Mental health service providers: Psychologists who bill Medicare under the affected sections will see higher reimbursement rates.
  • Expected impact:
    • Potentially improved access to mental health care for Medicare beneficiaries due to higher provider reimbursement.
    • Potential influence on provider participation rates and service availability, given increased payments.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Legislative action:
    • Introduced and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Ways and Means (March 25, 2026).
    • Co-sponsors: Rep. Paul Tonko and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick.
  • Effective date:
    • Implemented for services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.

Additional context

  • The bill focuses narrowly on reimbursement rates for psychologists within Medicare, not on broader coverage or eligibility changes.
  • The policy lever is a higher percentage of the standard fee schedule to be paid, moving from 75% to 85%.

If you’d like, I can provide a quick comparison to current Medicare payment rules for psychology services, or outline potential budget/plausible fiscal impact estimates based on historical Medicare reimbursement data.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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