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How Do Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for Mental Health Services Impact Access for Rural Older Adults?

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Title: How Do Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for Mental Health Services Impact Access for Rural Older Adults?
Authors: Oster, Natalia V.1 (AUTHOR) nvoster@uw.edu, Andrilla, C. Holly A.1 (AUTHOR), Patterson, Davis G.1 (AUTHOR), Burchim, Signe1,2 (AUTHOR), Graves, Janessa M.1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Rural Health. Spring2026, Vol. 42 Issue 2, p1-10. 10p.
Subject Terms: *Health services accessibility, *Mental health services, *Qualitative research, *Research, *Research methodology, Medical care use, Health insurance reimbursement, Mental health counselors, Research funding, Medicare, Health policy, Interviewing, Statistical sampling, Judgment sampling, Sound recordings, Telemedicine, Thematic analysis, Rural population, Labor demand, Rural conditions, Data analysis software, Medical practice, Old age
Geographic Terms: United States
Abstract: Purpose: In January 2024, new reimbursement policies took effect, allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare for diagnostic and mental health treatment services. We sought to understand how and whether these policy changes have impacted access to mental health services among rural Medicare beneficiaries. Methods: We conducted interviews with leaders of rural health systems and relevant mental health organizations regarding perceptions about Medicare reimbursement for MFTs and MHCs and the potential impact on access to rural mental health services. We screened and recruited 14 participants for 45 to 60 min individual interviews in July and August 2024. We used directed thematic analysis to develop and iteratively refine themes, identifying patterns in participant responses. Findings: Interviewees generally felt that expanding the pool of mental health providers recognized by Medicare would improve the access and quality of mental health services among rural Medicare beneficiaries. However, interviewees frequently described workforce shortages, the chronic difficulty of hiring mental health providers in rural areas, and low Medicare reimbursement rates as challenges that may limit the policy's effectiveness. Conclusion: The inclusion of MFTs and MHCs in Medicare reimbursement policies may represent a meaningful advancement in expanding rural access to mental health services. Workforce shortages and reimbursement challenges may inhibit the policy's potential impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Rural Health is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: How Do Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for Mental Health Services Impact Access for Rural Older Adults?
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oster%2C+Natalia+V%2E%22">Oster, Natalia V.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> nvoster@uw.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andrilla%2C+C%2E+Holly+A%2E%22">Andrilla, C. Holly A.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Patterson%2C+Davis+G%2E%22">Patterson, Davis G.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burchim%2C+Signe%22">Burchim, Signe</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Graves%2C+Janessa+M%2E%22">Graves, Janessa M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Rural+Health%22">Journal of Rural Health</searchLink>. Spring2026, Vol. 42 Issue 2, p1-10. 10p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+services+accessibility%22">Health services accessibility</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health+services%22">Mental health services</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research%22">Research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+care+use%22">Medical care use</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+insurance+reimbursement%22">Health insurance reimbursement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health+counselors%22">Mental health counselors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medicare%22">Medicare</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+policy%22">Health policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+sampling%22">Statistical sampling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Judgment+sampling%22">Judgment sampling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sound+recordings%22">Sound recordings</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Telemedicine%22">Telemedicine</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thematic+analysis%22">Thematic analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+population%22">Rural population</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+demand%22">Labor demand</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+conditions%22">Rural conditions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+practice%22">Medical practice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Old+age%22">Old age</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: In January 2024, new reimbursement policies took effect, allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare for diagnostic and mental health treatment services. We sought to understand how and whether these policy changes have impacted access to mental health services among rural Medicare beneficiaries. Methods: We conducted interviews with leaders of rural health systems and relevant mental health organizations regarding perceptions about Medicare reimbursement for MFTs and MHCs and the potential impact on access to rural mental health services. We screened and recruited 14 participants for 45 to 60 min individual interviews in July and August 2024. We used directed thematic analysis to develop and iteratively refine themes, identifying patterns in participant responses. Findings: Interviewees generally felt that expanding the pool of mental health providers recognized by Medicare would improve the access and quality of mental health services among rural Medicare beneficiaries. However, interviewees frequently described workforce shortages, the chronic difficulty of hiring mental health providers in rural areas, and low Medicare reimbursement rates as challenges that may limit the policy's effectiveness. Conclusion: The inclusion of MFTs and MHCs in Medicare reimbursement policies may represent a meaningful advancement in expanding rural access to mental health services. Workforce shortages and reimbursement challenges may inhibit the policy's potential impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Rural Health is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=194917724
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/jrh.70162
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 10
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Health services accessibility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental health services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
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      – SubjectFull: Research
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      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
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      – SubjectFull: Medical care use
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      – SubjectFull: Health insurance reimbursement
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      – SubjectFull: Mental health counselors
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      – SubjectFull: Research funding
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      – SubjectFull: Medicare
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      – SubjectFull: Health policy
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      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
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      – SubjectFull: Statistical sampling
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      – SubjectFull: Judgment sampling
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      – SubjectFull: Sound recordings
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Telemedicine
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      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Rural population
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      – SubjectFull: Rural conditions
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      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
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      – SubjectFull: Medical practice
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      – SubjectFull: Old age
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      – SubjectFull: United States
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      – TitleFull: How Do Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for Mental Health Services Impact Access for Rural Older Adults?
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              Text: Spring2026
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              Y: 2026
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