Health care reform--mental health

It has come to my attention that Medicare does not reimburse for counseling by Ph.D. licensed professional counselors (LPC), while c licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) are so reimbursed. MDs, who do very little psychological counseling and often may have no extensive training in the area, are the only other mental health professionals reimbursed.

In the process of developing a very good reimbursement system under the new health care system, let's make sure that our representatives understand the need to cover these licensed professionals across the country and to extend the Medicare coverage to their services as well.

It has occurred to me that perhaps seniors are considered so near the end of life by the Republicans that they shouldn't have the most professional and precious mental health resources wasted on them.

Please write your congressman and both senators today, asking them to sponsor the important change to Medicare reimbursement for counseling and also to make sure it is considered the most basic provision for mental health to be included in other plans, including the public option.