Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the bipartisan Medicare Mobile Crisis Improvement Act to help more Americans access behavioral health crisis services. The legislation would make Medicare payment rates more robust for mental health services delivered by mobile units, including those that Nevada has already begun to develop. Expanding mobile crisis units is a critical part of Cortez Masto’s work to support comprehensive mental health services nationwide.
“Mental health is just as important as physical health, and that’s why I’ve been working across the aisle to make crisis services more accessible for everyone,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “My bipartisan legislation builds on the progress we’ve made by making sure mobile crisis teams can help more Americans experiencing a crisis, no matter where they are.”
“Mobile crisis teams play an invaluable role in helping de-escalate and support those who may be struggling with their mental health or substance abuse,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure Medicare providers can be reimbursed for their life-saving care and help stop costs from being the reason individuals in a mental health crisis don’t receive the medical attention they need.”
In 2022, Senators Cortez Masto and Cornyn passed legislation to increase Medicare payments for mobile behavioral health crisis services. The Medicare Mobile Crisis Improvement Act builds on this legislation by instituting a single global payment for the reimbursement of mobile crisis team services by Medicare – allowing more communities to stand up mobile crisis units for residents in need.
You can read the full bill text HERE.
Senator Cortez Masto has been a leader in the Senate on mental health issues. She helped fund and implement the 988 Suicide & Crisis lifeline, and passed bipartisan legislation to expand behavioral health crisis support services. She successfully fought to include $1 billion to support mental health services in schools in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. She is also working to pass bipartisan legislation to expand telehealth treatment for Nevadans struggling with opioid use disorders.
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