Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Coverage in Medicare Advantage Plans

(Meredith Freed, Nolan Sroczynski, and Tricia Neuman for Kaiser Family Foundation Published: Apr 28, 2023)

Mental health and substance abuse disorder services are needed by people of all ages, including older adults. In February 2023, 20% of adults 65 and older reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Medicare covers a range of mental health and substance use disorder services, and Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover the same set of services as traditional Medicare. With increasing Medicare enrollment, the need for mental health and substance use disorder care will likely continue to grow. Members of Congress and the Biden Administration have introduced proposals to address concerns about barriers to mental health and substance use disorder care in Medicare. However, despite the rise in enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans, which now cover about half of people on Medicare and typically offer extra benefits beyond traditional Medicare, not much is known about the scope of mental health and substance use disorder benefits covered by these plans. Continue reading here…

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