The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will allow Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) and Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) to enroll as Medicare providers effective January 1, 2024 under provisions established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

In order to enroll, providers must meet certain criteria, including: possession of a master’s or doctorate degree which qualifies the provider for licensure as a MFT or MHC under state law, licensure or certification as a MFT or MHC, at least two years of clinical supervision in marriage and family therapy or mental health counseling, and other requirements specified by the Secretary of Health & Human Services. A LMFT or LMHC enrolled in Medicaid is not automatically enrolled in Medicare – if you plan to provide services to Medicare beneficiaries, you must separately enroll as a Medicare provider.

Medicare recognizes licenses obtained through the interstate license compact as valid, full licenses for the purpose of meeting federal license requirements. For LMFTs and LMHCs who provide counseling services in multiple states, CMS requires a separate application in each state. Providers can enroll electronically using the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) or the paper Medicare enrollment application (CMS-855I). Applications will be processed within 30 days. Processing timeframes may be extended if the application is incomplete or missing information or documentation.

Medicare Provider Enrollment Attorney in Florida

The attorneys of Nicholson & Eastin routinely represent health care providers in connection with Medicare provider enrollment and other issues related to CMS. If you are a health care provider and would like to enroll as a Medicare provider, please do not hesitate to contact us.