December 20, 2024
Today, AATA sent a letter to New York Governor Hochul urging her to sign A9018/S8715 into law. The bill, which was passed by the state House and Senate in June, would authorize Licensed Creative Arts Therapists (LCAT) to bill Medicaid directly for their services. Despite being available since 2006, and over 2,000 LCATs currently practicing in the state, LCATs have been removed/excluded from 3 recent mental health expansion bills in New York State—a bill to mandate Medicaid coverage, a bill to expand diagnostic privilege, and most recently a bill to mandate blanket commercial health insurance coverage for psychotherapy.
LCATs provide services in a myriad of settings, including state-operated agencies and clinics as well as inpatient and outpatient treatment hospitals and substance abuse treatment facilities, but are limited in their ability to bill Medicaid for their services. Allowing LCATs to directly bill Medicaid will not increase the state’s overall budget, but instead add more providers for psychotherapy, an already covered service. This bill could also help address shortages in mental health care providers. Currently, there are 3.66 million New Yorkers living in mental health care professional shortage areas. Additionally, among adults who reported experiencing anxiety or depression, only 28.7% reported needing counseling or therapy but not receiving it, and rates of mental illness and substance use disorders are most prevalent among nonelderly adults with Medicaid.
This legislation represents a crucial step toward expanding access to vital mental health services for New Yorkers who need them most. By enabling Licensed Creative Arts Therapists to bill Medicaid directly, we can address provider shortages without increasing state costs, ensuring that more individuals receive the care they deserve. We urge Governor Hochul to sign A9018/S8715 into law and support this practical solution to a growing mental health crisis.
To read our full letter to the Governor, click here.