TEXAS — Medicare officials are working to address growing mental health concerns among some older adults. One in four older adults reported anxiety or depression in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, according to recent Kaiser Family Foundation research. But less than half of seniors with mental health or substance use problems are getting help, according to National Academy of Medicine data. 

For decades, Medicare has only covered mental health services provided by psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers and psychiatric nurses.

But as of Jan. 1, Medicare is allowing marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to provide services. The organization is also increasing the reimbursement rate for behavioral health providers and expanding coverage to intensive outpatient mental health programs. 

These legislative changes increase access to mental health care for the 65 million older or disabled Americans covered by the federal insurance system.

They follow the passage of The Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2022, which added marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to the list of approved Medicare providers. That means people on Medicare can now receive these services and have it covered the same as any other approved outpatient service.

Experts say the Medicare expansion will help a lot of people, especially those living in rural areas where one in three people receive Medicare services and there’s a shortage of mental health providers.