Provide Mental Health Parity in Medicare

Medicare is not fully subject to the federal law requiring equivalent coverage for mental and physical health conditions. As a result, unequal treatment remains. For instance, Medicare caps coverage for care at inpatient psychiatric hospitals at 190 days over a beneficiary’s lifetime. This same limit does not apply to inpatient psychiatric care received at non-specialized facilities, or for non-psychiatric care. Congress should eliminate this and other barriers to care, and ensure the full range of mental health services providers are eligible for Medicare reimbursement.