Mental Health Services are Reimbursed Below Medicare Rates. Medical Services are Not.

The Stat

21-28% gaps exist between reimbursement rates of behavioral health clinicians and medical / surgical clinicians in Missouri.

The Insight

Behavioral health clinicians are reimbursed below Medicare rates, while medical and surgical clinicians are reimbursed above them. This is differential reimbursement. Physical and behavioral health services are treated differently by the same insurance system.

Why It Matters

When reimbursement rates don't cover the cost of providing care, providers exit the insurance system. Over 40% of Missouri therapists no longer accept insurance, ranking the state among the bottom five nationally for accessibility.

👉 See the full analysis in the Chiron Community Giving Foundation Issue Brief: “Mental Healthcare Access: Economic Factors Contributing to the Mental Healthcare Workforce Shortage in St. Louis, MO,” April 2025