[Counselor_Educ] Fwd: Fw: ACA UPDATE: House Passes Health Care Bill, Including Medicare Coverage of Counselors

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----- Forwarded message from jean underfer-babalis 
< jean_underferbabalis at YAHOO.COM 
> -----
From: jean underfer-babalis < jean_underferbabalis at YAHOO.COM 
>
To: OCA-L at LISTSERV.KENT.EDU 
Subject: Fw: ACA UPDATE: House Passes Health Care Bill, Including Medicare 
Coverage of Counselors
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:38:17 -0800

After many years of trying to get professional counselors included as 
providers on medicare with a house bill, it has succeeded! 

This is an awesome event. Now it needs to pass in the Senate. We have had such 
a bill in the senate pass; however, let us not take anything for granted. 
Please contact our Senators Voinavich and Brown. 

Please read the information below.
 
Peace and all good,
jean underfer-babalis
 "I believe the world is plotting to do me good today, and I can't wait to 
see what happens," Jack Canfield, Author
 
 



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Scott Barstow < Sbarstow at COUNSELING.ORG 
>
To: ACA-GR at LISTSERV.COUNSELING.ORG 
Sent: Mon, November 9, 2009 5:21:58 PM
Subject: ACA UPDATE: House Passes Health Care Bill, Including Medicare 
Coverage of Counselors


 
Late Saturday, November 7th, the House of Representatives passed an historic 
health insurance reform bill—H.R. 3962, the “Affordable Health Care for 
America Act”—including language establishing Medicare coverage of licensed 
professional counselors for the provision of medically-necessary outpatient 
mental health services.  The Medicare coverage provision, which also applies 
to marriage and family therapists, is included in Section 1308 of the bill.  
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), H.R. 3962 
would reduce the federal deficit by $109 billion over the next ten years, and 
would expand coverage to 96% of Americans.  The legislation was passed by a 
vote of 220-215.
 
ACA applauds the House of Representatives for passing this legislation.  ACA 
has long sought to establish Medicare coverage of counselors’ services, and 
has consistently supported expanding health insurance coverage.  Counselors 
can identify their Representative at the House of Representatives website at http://www.house.gov.  
A listing of how members voted is available here.
 
The Senate is working toward a vote on health insurance legislation.  
Unfortunately, the legislation approved by the Senate Finance Committee does 
not include Medicare coverage of counselors.
 
Counselors are encouraged to contact their Senators to remind them that the 
Senate approved Medicare coverage of counselors in both 2003 and 2005, and ask 
them to work to include the counselor coverage language as part of health care 
legislation this year.  Medicare beneficiaries need better access to 
outpatient mental health services, and deserve the same choice of provider 
currently enjoyed by those with private health insurance.  Constituent 
contacts are likely to make the difference between success and failure on this 
issue!
 
For more information or for questions, contact: 
 
Scott Barstow
Director of Public Policy and Legislation
American Counseling Association
5999 Stevenson Avenue
Alexandria, VA   22304
703.823.9800 x234
703.405.9711 (cell)
703.823.0252 (fax)
800.347.6647 x234
703.823.6828 TDD sbarstow at counseling.org 
www.counseling.org




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----- End forwarded message -----



Mona Robinson, Ph.D., PC, CRC
Assistant Professor
Rehabilitation Counseling and Chillicothe Program Coordinator
President-Elect, NAMRC 
Ohio University
386 McCracken Hall
Athens, Ohio 45701
740-593-4461 Office
740-593-0477 Fax robinsoh at ohio.edu 

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