Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026

This legislation seeks to enhance beneficiaries' access to mental health services within the Medicare program by amending specific provisions of the Social Security Act related to reimbursement. The primary goal is to make mental health care more accessible to Medicare recipients. The bill proposes to increase the payment rate for certain mental health services from the current 75 percent to 85 percent of the fee schedule amount provided under section 1848. This adjustment applies to payments for services that were previously tied to a psychologist's payment rate, thereby providing a higher reimbursement for providers. These changes are slated to become effective for all items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.