Medicare beneficiaries are often at the highest risk for mental health problems, such as depression and suicide, yet older Americans are the least likely to receive mental health services, with only 1 in 5 receiving needed care. According to the US Surgeon General, 37% of seniors display symptoms of depression in primary care settings. Nevertheless,
many Medicare beneficiaries have no access to a mental health professional because of their remote locations, exacerbated by the provider shortage in those areas.
View this pamphlet from the Medicare Mental Health Workforce Coalition for more information on senior mental health care advocacy. Medicare Coalition Handout 2019
