Health

Axios - Fewer than half of outpatient facilities for substance use disorder accept Medicare, according to a new HHS report.

Behavioral health issues, including substance use, are rising among older adults: More than a third of Medicare beneficiaries 65 and older had a diagnosis of or used services related to a condition.

• But low reimbursement rates and difficulty finding mental health workers factor into clinics' ability to care for older adults who need behavioral health care, the report found.

Just 44% of substance use treatment facilities accept Medicare coverage, which is the primary insurance payer for older adults in the U.S., according to the analysis of 2023 data.

• 67% of mental health facilities and 66% of mixed facilities take Medicare.

Only one-third of substance use and mental health programs tailor care to older adults' specific needs, per the report.

• That's despite federal health officials' recommendations that seniors get behavioral health care through such programs.