A practice document · National · the path · PECOS · participation · sources checked August 2026
The Medicare Enrollment Cheat-Sheet
A plain-language starting point for counselors and MFTs who need Medicare enrollment, whether for independent practice or an integrated-care arrangement. The enrollment sequence with the common decision points flagged, participating versus non-participating in plain arithmetic, the specialty-code choice, and where to look up what a code pays in your locality.
No form between you and the document. It is yours either way.
Written from the primary sources and the Behavioral Health Workforce Observatory’s records.
Inside
The path
eligible, enroll, choose participation, verify, bill
PECOS
what it is, and what to gather before starting
Participation
the choice, in plain arithmetic
The specialty code
the decision people make without knowing it matters
Checking payment
find your locality, find the current fee schedule, date it
Which arrangement
independent, incident-to, or Collaborative Care
Primary sources
CMS enrollment guidance and the fee schedule, dated
Related research · The Medicare study
What gets in the way when clinicians and practices try to put these arrangements together?
The federal rules are published. The Observatory is asking what happens when people try to operate them: who needed to enroll, how long it took, and whether enrollment delayed or stopped an arrangement.
About five minutes · findings go to respondents first