Pass the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act

In a time where rising costs and availability of health care can mean the difference between lifesaving treatment for those who most need it, the need to expand the workforce and reduce prescription drug costs is needed now more than ever. Workforce shortages, in addition to inaccurate provider directories, make getting care difficult in an already difficult-to-navigate system. For those enrolled in Medicaid who seek treatment for mental health and addiction care, physicians and mental health practitioners should be readily available. Unfortunately, there are fewer than five active providers for every 1,000 Medicaid enrollees. One in 4 Medicare enrollees live with mental illness, with very few providers able to treat them [1]. In some less than urban areas there is no single active provider under Medicaid or Medicare [1] This bill would provide incentives and bonuses to providers to fill the large gaps in provider coverage.