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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Currently, the State of Illinois and the federal
3government do not allow licensed professional counselors
4(LPCs) and licensed social workers (LSWs) to bill
5Medicare/Medicaid; and
 
6    WHEREAS, LPCs and LSWs are not fully licensed clinicians
7but are working towards being fully licensed; and
 
8    WHEREAS, LPCs and LSWs are required to meet for
9supervision/consultation with a licensed clinical professional
10counselor (LCPC) or a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW)
11for a minimum of one hour per week; and
 
12    WHEREAS, After criteria for full licensure has been met,
13including meeting direct client/patient clinical hours,
14supervision, and the successful completion of the state and
15national exams, LPCs become LCPCs, LSWs become LCSWS, and
16billing for Medicaid/Medicare becomes a privilege; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The lengthy process to full licensure deters
18access to quality mental health services to many vulnerable
19and marginalized populations; and
 
20    WHEREAS, This process limits and complicates staffing for

 

 

HR0067- 2 -LRB102 11970 ECR 17306 r

1agencies already experiencing shortages of mental health
2professionals; and
 
3    WHEREAS, LPCs and LSWs are qualified to provide counseling
4services and should be allowed to bill Medicare/Medicaid for
5their work along with the consideration they are still being
6properly supervised by a fully licensed provider; therefore,
7be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
9HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10we urge our fellow Illinois lawmakers and the federal
11government to allow LPCs and LSWs to bill Medicare/Medicaid;
12and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
14delivered to the President of the United States, the Vice
15President of the United States, the entire Illinois
16Congressional Delegation, Governor JB Pritzker, and all
17members of the Illinois General Assembly.