Due to Heightened Security, Legislators Prefer You Email and Fax All Documents

Senator Blanche Lincoln, (AR) has reintroduced S.671, the Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act. This bill includes language to determine who is an eligible Medicare Provider and adds Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family therapists. However, currently Senator Lincoln has decided not to include language which would include masters degreed psychologists licensed for independent practice.

Senator Lincoln’s decisionnot to change the proposed language to include masters degreed psychologists is based on the fact that we were not included in the initial preparation of this bill several years ago when it originated, not our qualifications. Masters degreed psychologists have at least equivalenttraining and qualification as LMHC’s and LMFT’s.

If you live in a state with a Senator that is highlighted below, it is vital to the future of our profession for you to contact your Senator today!

Due to heightened security, legislators prefer you email and fax all documents.

You can also use the link below tosend comments about S.671,

The NAMP office is available for any help you need to help advocate for this cause. Don’t hesitate to call us at 405-329-3030 / (800-919-9330) or email for more information. We have included sample letters for you to send to your legislators and the end of this documents.

S.671

Sponsored By: Sen Blanche Lincoln, (AR)

DC office fax (202) 228-1371, Arkansas office fax (501) 375-7064

email address

Cosponsors: Sen Barrasso, John (WY) Sen Durbin, Richard (IL)

Sen Inouye, Daniel K. (HI) Sen Boxer, Barbara (CA)

Sen Wyden, Ron (OR)

DC officeFax (202) 228-2717

email address

Referred to Senate Committee on Finance

Max Baucus, MTMike Enzi, WY
Jeff Bingaman, NMKent Conrad, ND
John F. Kerry, MABlanche Lincoln, AR(contact info above)

Ron Wyden, OR (contact info above)Charles E. Schumer, NY
Debbie Stabenow, MIMaria Cantwell, WA
Bill Nelson, FLRobert Menendez, NJ
Thomas Carper, DEChuck Grassley, IA

Orrin G Hatch, UTOlympia J. Snowe, ME

Jon Kyl, AZJim Bunning, KY

Mike Crapo, IDJohnEnsign, NV

John D. Rockefeller IV, WV

DC office Fax(202) 224-7665

Pat Roberts, KS

DC office Fax202-224-3514

John Cornyn, TX

DC office Fax202-228-2856

(contact info above)

H.R.1693

(related bill to S.671)

If you live in a state with a representative highlighted below, it is vital to the future of our profession for you to contact your house representative today!

To find out who represents the district you live in, please visit

Due to heightened security, legislators prefer you email and fax all documents.

You can also use the link below tosend comments about H.R.1693,

Sponsored By: Rep Gordon, Bart,TN

Cosponsors: Rep Lewis, John, GARep Napolitano, Grace F., CA

H.R.1693

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

and theCommittee on Ways and Means

Energy and Commerce Committee Members

Henry A. Waxman, CA, ChairJoe Barton, TX, Ranking Member

John Dingell, MI, Chair EmeritusRalph Hall, TX

Edward Markey, MAFred Upton, MI

Rick Boucher, VACliff Stearns, FL

Frank Pallone, Jr., NJNathan Deal, GA

Bart Gordon, TNEd Whitfield, KY

Bobby Rush, ILJohn Shimkus, IL

Anna Eshoo, CAJohn Shadegg, AZ

Bart Stupak, MIRoy Blunt, MO

Eliot Engel, NYSteve Buyer, IN

Gene Green, TXGeorge Radanovich, CA

Diana DeGette, COJoseph Pitts, PA

Lois Capps, CAMary Bono Mack, CA

Michael Doyle, PAGreg Walden, OR

Jane Harman, CALee Terry, NE

Janice Schakowsky, ILMike Rogers, MI

Charles Gonzalez, TXSue Wilkins Myrick, NC

Jay Inslee, WAJohn Sullivan, OK

Tammy Baldwin, WITim Murphy, PA

Mike Ross, ARMichaelBurgess, TX

Anthony Weiner, NYMarsha Blackburn, TN

Jim Matheson, UTPhil Gingrey, GA

G.K. Butterfield, NCSteve Scalise, LA

Charlie Melancon, LAChristopher Murphy, CT

John Barrow, GA Zachary Space, OH

Baron Hill, INJerry McNerney, CA

Doris Matsui, CA Betty Sutton, OH

Donna Christensen, VI Bruce Braley, IA

Kathy Castor, FLPeter Welch, VT

John Sarbanes, MD

Committee on Ways and Means Members

Charles B. Rangel, NY ChairmanDave Camp, MI
Fortney Pete Stark, CAWally Herger, CA
Sander M. Levin, MISam Johnson, TX

Jim McDermott, WAKevin Brady, TX
John Lewis, GAPaul Ryan, WI
Richard E. Neal, MAEric Cantor, VA
John S. Tanner, TNJohn Linder, GA
Xavier Becerra, CADevin Nunes, CA
Lloyd Doggett, TXPat Tiberi, OH
Earl Pomeroy, NDGinny Brown-Waite, FL
Mike Thompson, CAGeoff Davis, KY
John B. Larson, CTDave G. Reichert, WA
Earl Blumenauer, ORCharles W. BoustanyJr. , LA
Ron Kind, WIDean Heller, NV
Bill PascrellJr. , NJPeter J. Roskam, IL

Shelley Berkley, NVJoseph Crowley, NY
Chris Van Hollen, MDKendrick Meek, FL
Allyson Y. Schwartz, PAArtur Davis, AL

Danny K. Davis, ILBob Etheridge, NC

Linda T. Sanchez, CABrian Higgins, NY
John A Yamuth, KY

** Draft Letter to Finance Committee Senators**

Dear Senator ______:

Northamerican Association of Masters in Psychology (NAMP), is asking your support to amend language inS. 671, The Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2009and in any existing legislation which addresses the issue of mental health providers gaining Medicare provider status to include masters degreed psychologists.

Nationally, master’s degreed psychologists are licensed for independent practice in nine states and are licensed with some type of licensure in twenty-four states. Medicare currently reimburses Master’s degreed social workers. However, master’s degreed psychologists have at least equivalent graduate school training and clinical experience as social workers.

Providers with a masters degree in psychology are uniquely prepared to provide psychological services to the elderly and disabled due to their education, training and commitment. Medicaid, as well as most private insurance companies, reimburses master’s degreed psychologists for services rendered.

Medicare inclusion of master’s degreed psychologists will also allow prospective Medicare recipients who are in therapy to continue with their mental health provider when they become eligible for Medicare. Avoiding a change in therapists would lessen the patient’s distress and would be economically less costly.

A broad coalition of professional organizations and community agencies recognize the need for master’s degreed psychologists to be included under Medicare and have expressed their support in letters.

S. 671, if passed, would allow Marriage and Family Counselors (LMFT's) and Mental Health Counselors (LMHC's) to bill Medicare directly for their services. This bill and others like it neglect to extend this ability to other licensed master’s degreed providers.

If this legislation is enacted as proposed, thousands of clinicians with a masters degree in psychology will be the only mental health professionals in the country not approved Medicare providers. This will limit access for the elderly and disabled who need mental health services.

We ask for your support on this important issue and look forward to hearing your position on this matter.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION

Draft Letter to Energy and Commerce Committee Representatives **

AND / OR

** Draft Letter to Ways and Means Committee Representatives **

Dear Representative ______:

Northamerican Association of Masters in Psychology (NAMP), is asking your support to amend language inH.R. 1963, The Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2009and in any existing legislation which addresses the issue of mental health providers gaining Medicare provider status to include masters degreed psychologists.

Nationally, master’s degreed psychologists are licensed for independent practice in nine states and are licensed with some type of licensure in twenty-four states. Medicare currently reimburses Master’s degreed social workers. However, master’s degreed psychologists have at least equivalent graduate school training and clinical experience as social workers.

Providers with a masters degree in psychology are uniquely prepared to provide psychological services to the elderly and disabled due to their education, training and commitment. Medicaid, as well as most private insurance companies, reimburses master’s degreed psychologists for services rendered.

Medicare inclusion of master’s degreed psychologists will also allow prospective Medicare recipients who are in therapy to continue with their mental health provider when they become eligible for Medicare. Avoiding a change in therapists would lessen the patient’s distress and would be economically less costly.

A broad coalition of professional organizations and community agencies recognize the need for master’s degreed psychologists to be included under Medicare and have expressed their support in letters.

H.R. 1963, if passed, would allow Marriage and Family Counselors (LMFT's) and Mental Health Counselors (LMHC's) to bill Medicare directly for their services. This bill and others like it neglect to extend this ability to other licensed master’s degreed providers.

If this legislation is enacted as proposed, thousands of clinicians with a masters degree in psychology will be the only mental health professionals in the country not approved Medicare providers. This will limit access for the elderly and disabled who need mental health services.

We ask for your support on this important issue and look forward to hearing your position on this matter.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION