A prominent national mental health coalition, the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG), has just released a letter to Congress in support of legislation (HR 945) to add licensed marriage and family therapists, as well as licensed mental health counselors, as Medicare providers. The MHLG is a coalition if national organizations representing behavioral health providers, consumers, payers and other organizations committed to increasing access to behavioral healthcare for all Americans. AAMFT is a longtime member of the MHLG.
The MHLG releases official letters of support for legislation if the legislation is supported by at least a majority of the 70+ full members of the MHLG. The MHLG letter in support of adding LMFTS and LMHCs as Medicare providers was cosigned by AAMFT and 43 other MHLG members. This letter is a significant step in the fight to add LMFTs as Medicare providers. This letter demonstrates to Congress that the mental health community supports including LMFTs and LMHCs as Medicare-eligible providers. The MHLG letter will be shared with Members of Congress. We believe that this letter will lead to more support among Members of Congress for including LMFTs and LMHCs as providers of behavioral health services to Medicare beneficiaries.