.png)
Safeguard Psychological and Behavioral Services
Send a Note to the Biden Administration (CMS) Now!
Deadline to Comment: September 13, 2021
.png)
Background
- Each year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) releases a proposed rule on the following year’s Medicare physician fee schedule which includes changes in policy that will directly impact psychologists and their patients.
- When reimbursement for behavioral health services is reduced, we know it has a trickle-down effect leading to reductions in services provided to those who are most in need.
- APA is urging the entire discipline of psychology—whether practitioner, scientist, student, or educator—to make comments to CMS as part of a single effort on behalf of the field.
.png)
Draft Text to Make a Compelling Case
For your convenience, APA is providing a range of draft letter texts for you to copy, paste, and personalize in submitting your comment to CMS. It should take less than 5 minutes!
.png)
Join the Movement! How Many Comments to CMS Has Your State Submitted?
Use the table below to see how many comments from your state have been submitted to CMS. This table will be updated every Tuesday and Friday until September 6th. After, the table will be updated daily until the comment period closes on September 13th. Please contact Doris Parfaite-Claude, MPP, with any additional questions.
Total Comments Submitted to Date: 9,814
.png)
.png)
Why Does This Issue Matter?
APA urges all psychologists, not just those taking part in Medicare, to submit comments because:
- CMS is proposing a reduction in payment to psychologists by 3.89% in 2022, and Medicare’s payment and coverage policies often serve as the benchmark for private insurance and other programs.
- This rule proposes to address disparities in health access - including mental health - through stronger data collection efforts. This will improve the ability of policy-makers to target the needs of people from the most underserved communities.
- With the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating the vast unmet need for mental and behavioral health services, the federal government should be focused on supporting policies that promote – not reduce – access to critical services.
- This includes the services that psychology trainees provide now, setting a precedent for reimbursement policies once trainees enter the workforce.
- This rule would also extend certain Medicare coverage flexibilities for mental health services furnished via telehealth, including audio-only telehealth. It is important that psychologists speak up about telehealth as a means of expanding access and availability of mental and behavioral health services overall.
.png)
For State Advocacy Leaders: Sample Action Alert
APA Advocacy has created a template action alert for SPTAs to copy and tailor in VoterVoice. Click here to access the template and instructions.
Deeper Dive: Proposed Rule Resources
| 2022 Proposed Rule | The full text of the 2022 proposed rule. Advocates new to this issue may find the section titled "Summary of Major Provision" on page 39105 helpful - it explains what CMS is legally obligated to each year regarding the Medicare fee schedule. |
| APA Comments on 2021 Proposed Rule | APA's formal submission to CMS on the 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule. |
| APA Webinar Slides | Slides from a webinar hosted for SPTA leaders on August 5, explaining the proposed rule. |
| APA Webinar Recording | Recording from a webinar hosted for SPTA leaders on August 5, explaining the proposed rule. |
Once You Comment, Keep the Momentum Going!
Please amplify calls to prevent cuts to mental health services for older adults and people with disabilities by sharing APA's action tool with your networks.
.png)
Questions?
Please contact APA Advocacy.