S. 683: More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2025

The More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2025 is a proposed bill aimed at enhancing the availability and compensation of mental health and substance use disorder services under the Medicare program. Specifically, the bill seeks to make changes to the eligibility criteria for providers to receive additional financial incentives when offering services in areas identified as having a shortage of health professionals.

Main Provisions

• Expansion of Incentives: The bill amends the existing Medicare health professional shortage area bonus program to include not only physicians but also a variety of other practitioners who provide mental health and substance use disorder services.
• Increased Payment Rates: Providers in mental health professional shortage areas would receive a bonus payment that is higher than the standard rate. Specifically:
  • Providers of general medical services in shortage areas would receive an additional 10% of the service payment amount.
  • Providers of mental health and substance use disorder services in identified shortage areas would receive an additional 15% of the service payment, which is higher than the bonus for general services.
• Defining Eligible Providers: The bill defines 'applicable practitioners' who are eligible to receive these incentive payments, including:
  • Physician assistants
  • Nurse practitioners
  • Clinical nurse specialists
  • Clinical social workers
  • Clinical psychologists
  • Marriage and family therapists
  • Mental health counselors
• Criteria for Service Areas: The bill specifies that these incentives are applicable in areas designated as health professional shortage areas by the Secretary of Health and Human Services before the start of each year.

Implementation Timeline

The services covered under the new incentive structure would begin on or after January 1, 2024, ensuring that the updated programs are enacted promptly following the passage of the bill.

Goals of the Bill

The intent behind the More Behavioral Health Providers Act of 2025 is to address the critical shortage of mental health and substance use disorder services in underserved areas. By offering higher incentive payments, the bill aims to attract more healthcare professionals to these fields and regions, ultimately improving access to care for individuals needing mental health and substance use services.

Relevant Companies

• MEDNAX (MD) - This company operates in the healthcare sector and provides medical care and related services, including behavioral health services. If this bill leads to increased demand for mental health practitioners in shortage areas, MEDNAX could experience growth in its staffing and service offerings.
• UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - As a major health insurance company, UnitedHealth could be directly impacted by the increase in services covered under Medicare. This bill could result in changes to their network arrangements and the volume of services billed, potentially affecting their overall business model and profitability.