H.R. 7324

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7324 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7324

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand eligibility 
for incentives under the Medicare health professional shortage area 
bonus program to practitioners furnishing mental health and substance 
use disorder services.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 3, 2026

Ms. Budzinski (for herself and Mr. Mann) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned

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A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand eligibility 
for incentives under the Medicare health professional shortage area 
bonus program to practitioners furnishing mental health and substance 
use disorder services.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``More Behavioral Health Providers Act 
of 2026''.

SEC. 2. EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR INCENTIVES UNDER THE MEDICARE HEALTH 
PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA BONUS PROGRAM TO PRACTITIONERS 
FURNISHING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER 
SERVICES.

Section 1833(m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(m)) is 
amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following 
new paragraph:
``(1) In the case of--
``(A) physicians' services (other than specified health 
services that are eligible for the additional payment under 
subparagraph (B)) furnished in a year to an individual, who is 
covered under the insurance program established by this part 
and who incurs expenses for such services, in an area that is 
designated (under section 332(a)(1)(A) of the Public Health 
Service Act) as a health professional shortage area as 
identified by the Secretary prior to the beginning of such 
year, in addition to the amount otherwise paid under this part, 
there also shall be paid to the physician (or to an employer or 
facility in the cases described in clause (A) of section 
1842(b)(6)) (on a monthly or quarterly basis) from the Federal 
Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund an amount equal to 
10 percent of the payment amount for the service under this 
part; and
``(B) specified health services (as defined in paragraph 
(5)) furnished in a year to an individual, who is covered under 
the insurance program established by this part and who incurs 
expenses for such services, in an area that is designated 
(under such section 332(a)(1)(A)) as a mental health 
professional shortage area as identified by the Secretary prior 
to the beginning of such year, in addition to the amount 
otherwise paid under this part, there also shall be paid to the 
physician or applicable practitioner (as defined in paragraph 
(6)) (or to an employer or facility in the cases described in 
clause (A) of section 1842(b)(6)) (on a monthly or quarterly 
basis) from such Trust Fund an amount equal to 15 percent of 
the payment amount for the service under this part.'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``in paragraph (1)'' and inserting 
``in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1)''; and
(B) by inserting ``or, in the case of specified 
health services, the physician or applicable 
practitioner'' after ``physician'';
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``paragraph (1)'' each 
place it appears and inserting ``subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
paragraph (1)'';
(4) in paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or 
applicable practitioner'' after ``physician''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``or 
applicable practitioner'' after ``physician''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(5) In this subsection, the term `specified health services' 
means services otherwise covered under this part that are furnished on 
or after January 1, 2027, by a physician or an applicable practitioner 
to an individual--
``(A) for purposes of diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment 
of a mental health disorder, as determined by the Secretary; or
``(B) with a substance use disorder diagnosis for purposes 
of treatment of such disorder or co-occurring mental health 
disorder, as determined by the Secretary.
``(6) In this subsection, the term `applicable practitioner' means 
the following:
``(A) A physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or 
clinical nurse specialist (as defined in section 1861(aa)(5)).
``(B) A clinical social worker (as defined in section 
1861(hh)(1)).
``(C) A clinical psychologist (as defined by the Secretary 
for purposes of section 1861(ii)).
``(D) A marriage and family therapist (as defined in 
section 1861(lll)(2)).
``(E) A mental health counselor (as defined in section 
1861(lll)(4)).''.
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