Bipartisan Bill Aims to Improve Mental Health Care Access in Primary Care Settings

The Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act was introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, aimed at improving mental health care access for Medicare beneficiaries in primary care settings. The bill would help primary care providers implement evidence-based integrated care delivery models into their practice and provide mental health care services for Medicare beneficiaries by enhancing Medicare payment rates. The legislation has garnered support from a wide range of organizations, including patient advocacy groups and health care associations.

Key Takeaways:

• The COMPLETE Care Act aims to improve mental health care access for Medicare beneficiaries in primary care settings by enhancing Medicare payment rates and helping providers implement integrated care delivery models.
• One in four Medicare beneficiaries live with mental illness, highlighting the need for improved access to mental health care.
• The bill is supported by over 30 patient advocacy groups and health care associations, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the American Psychological Association.
• Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, one of the bill's co-sponsors, has previously introduced legislation aimed at improving mental health care access, including the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner (COCM) Act.
• A modified version of the previous bill established a grant program to help implement integrated models of care, which was signed into law by President Biden in December 2022.

Statistics:

• One in four Medicare beneficiaries live with mental illness. (Source: Congresswoman Michelle Steel)
• 30+ patient advocacy groups and health care associations support the COMPLETE Care Act, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the American Psychological Association.
• The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, was signed into law by President Biden on December 29, 2022, and includes a modified version of the COCM Act, which established a grant program to help implement integrated models of care (Source: United States House of Representatives).

Sources:

• Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07)
• Michelle Steel (CA-45)
• Dan Kildee (MI-08)
• Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)
• Susie Lee (NV-03)
• August Pfluger (TX-11)
• United States House of Representatives
• AltaMed Health Services
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• American Academy of Family Physicians
• American Art Therapy Association
• ... [continued list of supporting organizations] ...

Note: The list of supporting organizations includes all the organizations mentioned in the source material, excluding the Congress members and the US House of Representatives.