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WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY-20) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), and U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) today reintroduced the Medicaid Bump Act, legislation that would increase the federal reimbursement rate for mental and behavioral health care services under Medicaid.

“As the largest payer for mental health and substance use treatment, Medicaid is essential to behavioral health care,” Congressman Tonko said. “The massive cuts to Medicaid made in President Trump’s Big Ugly Law will leave countless Americans without access to the lifesaving, affordable care, but we must do all we can as legislators to stem the harm caused by this cruel legislation and work to deliver meaningful federal resources for mental health services. That’s why we’re introducing this bipartisan, commonsense legislation. I hope my colleagues will join me in helping remove these barriers in behavioral health treatment and ensure our communities are delivered affordable, quality care.”

“As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, I’m working directly with community providers, health systems, and local leaders to identify the structural barriers limiting access to care. This initiative is a direct result of those conversations—delivering targeted federal support to expand state investment, raise provider reimbursement, and build capacity in the areas that need it most. It’s a data-driven response to a national crisis, and Congress must act,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

“The best way to combat the mental health crisis in America is by offering comprehensive, affordable mental health services for those who need it,” said Senator Tina Smith. “The Medicaid Bump Act helps more Americans access this life-changing care by expanding state-level coverage and ensuring providers are appropriately compensated. This way, we can start addressing the stigma around mental health and the gross inequities in our medical system.”

Traditionally, states receive federal reimbursement rates between 50 and 75 percent. Under the Medicaid Bump Act, Medicaid would reimburse states for 90 percent of the cost of providing new mental and behavioral health services. Further, the bill would:

• Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to define which services qualify as eligible behavioral health services for the enhanced FMAP.
• Require HHS to provide annual reports on the impact of increased federal Medicaid reimbursement on the utilization of behavioral health services in each state.

The Medicaid Bump Act is supported by 34 organizations, including: Alliance for Rights and Recovery, American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Mental Health Counselor Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association Services, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Anxiety & Depression Association of America, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Community Catalyst, Faces and Voices of Recovery, Friends of Recovery- New York, Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice, Huntington's Disease Society of America, Inseparable, International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses, Legal Action Center, Mental Health America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, National Association for Rural Mental Health, National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Social Workers, National Board for Certified Counselors & Affiliates, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, National Federation of Families, National League for Nursing, The National Register of Health Service Psychologists, Overdose Prevention Initiative, Treatment Communities of America, and Youth Villages

Text of the bill can be found HERE.