clinical social work association

Update on Medicare Telemental Health Coverage

December 11, 2024

As we head toward the holiday recess in Congress, there is increased pressure to pass legislation that will extend the Medicare coverage of telemental health. For those of you who have sent messages to your members of Congress in the past two weeks, thank you. The over 150 messages CSWA members have sent are making a difference. It is still not too late to send a message to your members of Congress about this crucial delivery service.

There are now two possible avenues for getting the telemental health extension passed: one is connecting the two-year extension to the pharmacy benefits managers bill (no number yet); another is to ask legislators to pass H. R. 8261, which is a stand-alone bill for the telemental health extension. Please send a message to your legislators like this: “I am a clinical social worker, a member of the Clinical Social Work Association, and a constituent. Please make sure that an extension to Medicare telemental health coverage is passed before the end of the year to protect the necessary mental health treatment that has been given virtually since 2020. Attaching this provision to the pharmacy benefits managers bill or H. R. 8261 are two good options. Please protect the mental health of our citizens.”

As always, let me know when you have sent your messages.

Laura Groshong, LICSW, Director of Policy and Practice

lwgroshong@clinicalsocialworkassociation.org