Tallahassee Sun

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Neal Dunn, M.D. (Florida-02), alongside Congresswoman Angie Craig (Minnesota-02), has introduced the Improving CARE for Youth Act, a bill aimed at improving access to mental health services for children on Medicaid. The bill focuses on addressing the barriers that hinder children from receiving timely mental health care within the Medicaid system.

Congressman Dunn emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Our youth’s mental health is worse than it’s ever been, especially following the destructive COVID-19 lockdowns. Protecting the future of the youth in our country is too important to be hindered by a Medicaid billing restriction.”

Congresswoman Craig echoed the sentiment, highlighting the importance of removing barriers to mental health care for children on Medicaid. She expressed, “We should be doing everything we can to make it easier for children to access the high-quality mental health care they deserve.”

The bill specifically aims to allow for same-day billing for mental health services for youth Medicaid beneficiaries who are seeking primary care services. Currently, a restriction exists where providers can only bill once per day for a Medicaid patient, creating a barrier to mental health care when a child covered by Medicaid requires immediate mental health services.

Support for the Improving CARE for Youth Act has been strong within the medical community. Steven P. Furr, MD, FAAFP, President of the American Academy of Family Physicians, endorsed the bill, stating, “Improving access to mental health and primary care services for Medicaid beneficiaries is critical, particularly as we continue to see increased rates of youth mental health concerns.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics also expressed its support for the bill, with President Ben Hoffman, MD, FAAP, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that children can receive the necessary care by removing billing restrictions that limit access to mental health services.

Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., CEO and Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association, reiterated the critical nature of making mental health services accessible to all children, especially in light of the escalating youth mental health crisis.

The introduction of the Improving CARE for Youth Act signals a bipartisan effort to address the challenges faced by children on Medicaid in accessing timely and quality mental health care services.