Recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month

CMC Members Share the Importance of Mental Health Coverage

More than 30 million Americans rely on Medicare Advantage for high-quality, affordable health care that addresses both their physical and mental health needs. This May, during Mental Health Awareness Month, the Coalition for Medicare Choices (CMC) is sharing stories from Coalition members that demonstrate the ways Medicare Advantage supports the mental health of millions of American seniors and people with disabilities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as many as 20% of adults over 55 experience some form of mental health concern with depression and anxiety being the most common. Further, the study concludes that “depression is not a normal part of growing older,” and is treatable in 80% of cases.

As CMC member Kay Bailey suggests, Medicare Advantage therapy and counseling can help seniors cope with these “senior moments” or life changes.

Many Medicare Advantage members, including coalition member Freda Lindley, point out that mental health matters. “Our mental and emotional health is one of the most important things,” she said, “and therapy can help.”

By covering services like therapy, wellness programs, substance use disorder treatment, and SilverSneakers fitness classes, Medicare Advantage helps members keep their mental health in check and stay connected.

Jocelyne, a Medicare Advantage advocate and the CEO of Elder Care Services in Florida, explained the importance of the program’s counseling services. Medicare Advantage mental health services break down social isolation and help seniors feel connected, she said.

Medicare Advantage offers critical mental health support. In fact, 70% of senior voters with Medicare Advantage who accessed mental health services were satisfied with the care they received.

Pat, another CMC member, described these services as “absolutely essential” and said they have become a very central part of the Medicare Advantage program.

The CMC is proud to elevate the mental health stories of members that demonstrate the better services, better access to care, and better value that Medicare Advantage provides.