Early Evidence of Geographic Variation in Medicare Participation Among Newly Eligible Mental Health Providers Following the 2024 Coverage Expansion

In January 2024, marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) were newly able to independently bill Medicare for diagnostic and mental health treatment services. This repeat cross-sectional study evaluated the early impacts of Medicare's coverage expansion on provider participation in underserved rural communities from April 2022 to October 2024.