Medicaid reimbursement for services provided by psychology interns would expand access to needed mental and behavioral health services, and increase the mental and behavioral healthcare workforce.
Good for Public Health
There is an increasing demand on the mental and behavioral health workforce following recognition in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of the public health benefit of integrating behavioral and mental health into primary care. Medicaid reimbursement supports healthcare sites that traditionally serve low income individuals.
The lack of Medicaid reimbursement to support psychology interns in hospitals, community health centers and other training sites reduces the ability of individuals to receive mental and behavioral health treatment.
To achieve a fully integrated system of health care as envisioned by ACA, it is important to remove barriers to Medicaid reimbursement for services provided by doctoral psychology interns and postdoctoral residents.
Good for the Development of a Healthcare Workforce
Medicaid is the nation’s biggest payer of mental health services. Medicaid expansion will create greater demand for psychologists and the provision of mental health services.
Eliminating unnecessary restrictions on the practice of licensed psychologists, by allowing the full use of interns under their supervision, will help to provide a strong infrastructure of mental health professionals.
Medicaid reimbursement will help develop a pipeline of qualified mental health professionals who will already be familiar with Medicaid recipients and health care financing systems.
Reimbursing the training of psychologists encourages their participation in the Medicaid program, first as interns and, upon graduation and licensure, as health professionals delivering important behavioral health treatment services to the very same underserved populations and communities where they trained as interns.
