Expanding Seniors Access to Mental Health Services Act

Expanding Seniors Access to Mental Health Services Act would widen Medicare coverage for clinical social worker (CSW) services provided to residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The bill would remove CSW services from the SNF prospective payment system under Part A, meaning these services would be paid separately under Medicare Part B. It also broadens the definition of CSW services to include a wider set of mental health and related services—specifically including health and behavior assessment and intervention (HBAI) and related HCPCS code sets. The changes would take effect for items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2026. In short, the bill aims to improve access to a fuller range of CSW-based mental health care for seniors in SNFs by ensuring broader coverage and separate reimbursement.