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S. 1797119th CongressIn committeeLatest action May 15, 2025Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: Expanding Seniors Access to Mental Health Services Act
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
Starting in 2026, Medicare would pay directly for clinical social worker services instead of bundling them into nursing home rates.
40-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill removes clinical social worker services from Medicare's bundled daily payment to skilled nursing facilities, allowing those services to be billed separately. It also expands covered "clinical social worker services" to include health and behavior assessment and intervention, beyond traditional mental illness diagnosis and treatment. The changes take effect for services provided starting January 1, 2026.
The bill affects Medicare enrollees, especially seniors and people with disabilities living in nursing homes. It also affects clinical social workers and skilled nursing facilities.
Facilities would no longer need to cover this care out of their fixed daily payment, changing the financial incentives around providing it. Clinical social workers could bill Medicare directly for a broader range of services.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a Senate committee is reviewing it. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text: CR S2954)