S.Amdt. 2142
What it does: Adds Subtitle A--TRICARE Program SEC. 701. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS UNDER THE TRICARE PROGRAM on page 226, between lines 14 and 15
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)What it changes
1 change to S. 1197
Adds Subtitle A--TRICARE Program SEC. 701. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS UNDER THE TRICARE PROGRAM on page 226, between lines 14 and 15
Adds a sectionPrinted pageInserted: Subtitle A--TRICARE Program SEC. 701. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS UNDER THE TRICARE PROGRAM.
Inserted: (a) One-year Postponement of Decredentialing of Certain Counselors.--Notwithstanding the provisions of the Interim Final Rule entitled "TRICARE: Certified Mental Health Counselors" and published on December 27, 2011, or any other provision of law or regulation--
Inserted: (1) physician-supervised mental health counselors who are qualified mental health providers for purposes of section 199.4 of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations, on October 1, 2014, shall retain such status and continue to be recognized for purposes of the TRICARE program until not earlier than December 31, 2015; and
Inserted: (2) such mental health counselors shall remain eligible for reimbursement under the TRICARE program while continuing to retain such states and be so recognized.
Inserted: (b) Report.--Not later than April 1, 2014, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting for the following:
Inserted: (1) The number of Certified Mental Health Counselors (as that term is defined in section 199.6(c)(3)(iii)(N) of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations) in each State and territory of the United States who are available to provide mental health counseling to beneficiaries of the TRICARE program in such State or territory.
Inserted: (2) The number of physician-supervised mental health counselors in each State and territory of the United States who will no longer be eligible to provide mental health counseling to beneficiaries of the TRICARE program if decredentialed.
Inserted: (3) An assessment whether a sufficient number of Certified Mental Health Counselors will be available in the communities in which beneficiaries of the TRICARE program reside to provide mental health counseling to beneficiaries of the TRICARE program whose mental health counselors are not eligible for continued credentialing under the TRICARE program, with special emphasis on the availability of Certified Mental Health Counselors--
Inserted: (A) in Alaska;
Inserted: (B) in other predominantly rural States and in rural communities in States that are not predominantly rural; and
Inserted: (C) in the territories.
Inserted: (4) A description and assessment of the availability of mental health counseling and training programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, and a description of the availability of Certified Mental Health Counselors in States and territories in which such programs are not available.
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Inserted: (5) An assessment of the costs and benefits of requiring beneficiaries of the TRICARE program to abandon existing patient relationships with physician-supervised mental health counselors in the event of the decredentialing of mental health counselors for purposes of the TRICARE program, and an assessment of the impact of that eventuality on the continuity of care to patients.
Inserted: (6) A description of any evidence available to the Secretary suggesting that patients of physician-supervised mental health counselors under the TRICARE program are dissatisfied with their professional relationships with such counselors.
Inserted: (7) A justification for the determination to implement a blanket termination of physician-supervised mental health counselors under the TRICARE program as necessary to maintain quality of services under the TRICARE program, including whether evidence is available to the Secretary to demonstrate that a statistically significant number of physician-supervised mental health counselors currently credentialed under the TRICARE program are providing substandard care to beneficiaries of the TRICARE program.
Inserted: (8) An assessment whether it is equitable to terminate experienced physician-supervised mental health counselors from further participation under the TRICARE program in favor of potentially less experienced Certified Mental Health Counselors.
Inserted: (9) A description of the obstacles faced by physician-supervised mental health counselors who seek to transition to Certified Mental Health Counselor status, including obstacles in connection with lack of graduation from an educational program certified by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.
Inserted: (10) A description of any modifications to regulations that the Secretary intends to propose or implement in light of the postponement under subsection (a) and the matters covered by the report.
Original wording
On page 226, between lines 14 and 15, insert the following:
Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.
As printed
SA 2142. Ms. MURKOWSKI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 1197, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2014 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
On page 226, between lines 14 and 15, insert the following:
Subtitle A--TRICARE Program SEC. 701. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS UNDER THE TRICARE PROGRAM.
(a) One-year Postponement of Decredentialing of Certain Counselors.--Notwithstanding the provisions of the Interim Final Rule entitled “TRICARE: Certified Mental Health Counselors” and published on December 27, 2011, or any other provision of law or regulation--
(1) physician-supervised mental health counselors who are qualified mental health providers for purposes of section 199.4 of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations, on October 1, 2014, shall retain such status and continue to be recognized for purposes of the TRICARE program until not earlier than December 31, 2015; and
(2) such mental health counselors shall remain eligible for reimbursement under the TRICARE program while continuing to retain such states and be so recognized.
(b) Report.--Not later than April 1, 2014, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting for the following:
(1) The number of Certified Mental Health Counselors (as that term is defined in section 199.6(c)(3)(iii)(N) of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations) in each State and territory of the United States who are available to provide mental health counseling to beneficiaries of the TRICARE program in such State or territory.
(2) The number of physician-supervised mental health counselors in each State and territory of the United States who will no longer be eligible to provide mental health counseling to beneficiaries of the TRICARE program if decredentialed.
(3) An assessment whether a sufficient number of Certified Mental Health Counselors will be available in the communities in which beneficiaries of the TRICARE program reside to provide mental health counseling to beneficiaries of the TRICARE program whose mental health counselors are not eligible for continued credentialing under the TRICARE program, with special emphasis on the availability of Certified Mental Health Counselors--
(A) in Alaska;
(B) in other predominantly rural States and in rural communities in States that are not predominantly rural; and
(C) in the territories.
(4) A description and assessment of the availability of mental health counseling and training programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, and a description of the availability of Certified Mental Health Counselors in States and territories in which such programs are not available.
(5) An assessment of the costs and benefits of requiring beneficiaries of the TRICARE program to abandon existing patient relationships with physician-supervised mental health counselors in the event of the decredentialing of mental health counselors for purposes of the TRICARE program, and an assessment of the impact of that eventuality on the continuity of care to patients.
(6) A description of any evidence available to the Secretary suggesting that patients of physician-supervised mental health counselors under the TRICARE program are dissatisfied with their professional relationships with such counselors.
(7) A justification for the determination to implement a blanket termination of physician-supervised mental health counselors under the TRICARE program as necessary to maintain quality of services under the TRICARE program, including whether evidence is available to the Secretary to demonstrate that a statistically significant number of physician-supervised mental health counselors currently credentialed under the TRICARE program are providing substandard care to beneficiaries of the TRICARE program.
(8) An assessment whether it is equitable to terminate experienced physician-supervised mental health counselors from further participation under the TRICARE program in favor of potentially less experienced Certified Mental Health Counselors.
(9) A description of the obstacles faced by physician-supervised mental health counselors who seek to transition to Certified Mental Health Counselor status, including obstacles in connection with lack of graduation from an educational program certified by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.
(10) A description of any modifications to regulations that the Secretary intends to propose or implement in light of the postponement under subsection (a) and the matters covered by the report.
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Senate amendment submitted
November 18, 2013