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WASHINGTON—U.S. Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and David Trone (D-MD) announced today that they have reintroduced the Medicaid Bump Act in the House, legislation that would increase the federal reimbursement rate for mental and behavioral health care services under Medicaid. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced identical legislation on the same day and are leading this effort in the U.S. Senate.

“The devastating toll of the COVID crisis has put a spotlight on an urgent unmet need for mental health services, yet even now countless Americans are struggling to get the help they need,” Congressman Tonko said. “We cannot allow this systemic underinvestment to continue to fail providers and leave suffering patients out in the cold. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues including my fellow champions Congressman Trone and Senator Smith in working to deliver meaningful federal resources for mental health services all throughout the country—support that so many of our family, friends and neighbors need, now more than ever.”

"Our country needs to take a proactive approach to increasing the mental health workforce," said Rep. Trone. "This bill would take a major step towards increasing the availability of mental health providers by helping to increase the network of Medicaid providers and making mental healthcare available for all Americans who seek it."

“When I experienced depression, resources were there for me. But right now, too many people don’t have access to the mental or behavioral health care they need,” said Sen. Smith. “This bill will improve equity in access to mental and behavioral health care by helping low-income families, the elderly, and people living with disabilities access resources. I want anyone suffering from a mental health issue to know they are not alone. We can all help break the stigma by talking about it, and then we have to go to work to get people the services they need.”

Last year, Tonko led a bipartisan letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging their COVID-19 response package to include mental health provisions. Those provisions included the former Medicaid Bump Act of the 116th Congress, H.R. 1920.

Traditionally, states receive reimbursement rates between 50 and 75 percent. Under Tonko’s legislation, Medicaid would reimburse states for 90 percent of the cost of providing new mental and behavioral health services. It would also require the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) to submit annual reports on the impact of the bump to payment rates and utilization of services.

The Medicaid Bump Act is supported by RI International, Inc., American Psychological Association, the Kennedy Forum, NAMI, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health, NAADAC: the Association for Addiction Professionals, International OCD Foundation, The Psychotherapy Action Network Advocacy, American Association on Health and Disability, Lakeshore Foundation, American Nurses Association, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National League for Nursing.

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