The 6.9% Medicare cuts are still planned for 2021 in spite of the major efforts of CSWA and many other mental health groups. Fortunately, there are two bills which would put off this cut for two years. Time is short to get S. 5007 and H.R. 8702, “Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020”, passed. Send messages to your members of Congress.
Both bills would institute additional payments, separate from the physician fee schedule, to essentially establish 2020 Medicare reimbursement rates as the floor for payments in both 2021 and 2022.
Go to https://www.congress.gov/contact-us immediately to ask your Senators to cosponsor S.5007 and your Representative to cosponsor H.R.8702 to protect Medicare payment rates for services provided by LCSWs and other healthcare providers.
Below is a template for your use:
“I am a member of the Clinical Social Work Association and a constituent. Please pass H.R. 7802/S. 5007 to allow LCSWs to continue working as Medicare providers. The proposed cut of 6.9% will make it very hard for me to afford to continue as a Medicare provider. In these perilous times, the need for mental health services has grown exponentially. Please allow the 250,000 LCSWs in the country to be able to provide the help that is so sorely needed.”
As always, let me know when your messages have been sent.
Laura Groshong, LICSW, CSWA Director, Policy and Practicelwgroshong@clinicalsocialworkassociation.org
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