# 119-s-5120: Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026

119-s-5120, Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-27).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5120
- As of: 2026-08-27
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5120
- Congress: 119
- Title: Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-23
- Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-27

## Summary

**Boosts pay and expands where clinical psychologists can practice under Medicare to improve mental health access in rural and underserved areas.** The bill would add a 10% payment bonus for psychologist services in shortage areas and let clinical psychologists provide and supervise services across multiple Medicare settings when state law allows. - Clinical psychologists and employers would receive a 10% add-on to Medicare payments for services furnished in areas the Secretary designates as health professional shortage areas. The add-on begins in 2028 and is paid from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund on a monthly or quarterly basis. - Medicare patients across care settings would have greater access to psychologist care because the bill permits clinical psychologists to serve as treating or supervising clinicians in Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Partial Hospitalization Programs, Home Health Services, and Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitals to the extent authorized by state law. - Facilities and state regulators would rely on state law to define how clinical psychologists supervise care, and the bill preserves requirements for clinician consultation and patient confidentiality. Services affected by these changes would be those furnished on or after January 1, 2028.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] (R-LA), 2026-07-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- 10% Medicare add-on for psychologists: benefit, medium. If enacted, this would add "clinical psychologist" into certain Medicare payment rules when the bill is enacted. Beginning in 2028, this would pay an extra 10% of the Medicare payment for each eligible psychologist service given to a Medicare Part B beneficiary in a Health Professional Shortage Are…
- More psychologist care in Medicare settings: benefit, medium. If enacted, starting January 1, 2028 this would allow clinical psychologists to provide and, where specified, supervise "qualified psychologist services" in many Medicare-covered settings. Covered settings include skilled nursing facilities, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation centers, home hea…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-5283: Momnibus Act
- 119-s-1507: Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025
- 119-s-3257: John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act
- 119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-5120 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5120)

## Related
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-5283: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5283)
- [119-s-1507: Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1507)
- [119-s-3257: John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3257)
- [119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4504)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5120 (as of 2026-08-27).