House Passes Major Health Care Reform Bill, Including Medicare Coverage of Counselors!

The House of Representatives took an historic step forward on Saturday, November 7th with the passage of major health insurance reform legislation, H.R.3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.  The legislation’s narrow approval, by a vote of 220-215, followed months of close consideration by House members, and years of work by health and consumer advocates.  The legislation includes a provision, in Section 1308 of the legislation, establishing Medicare coverage of medically-necessary outpatient mental health services provided by state-licensed professional counselors and state-licensed marriage and family therapists.

ACA applauds the House for passing H.R. 3962, as it would dramatically expand health insurance coverage for Americans and take a major step forward in establishing appropriate recognition of the counseling profession.

ACA encourages counselors to contact their Senators to ask them to include Medicare coverage of counselors in the health care legislation being developed in the Senate. The Senate’s legislation does not yet include counselor coverage.

To find out who your Senators and Representative are, visit our internet action center. For more information, contact Scott Barstow with ACA at 800-347-6647 x234, e-mail: sbarstow@counseling.org.