Tagged with Behavioral Health Billing
Medical Billing News – August 2021
EFT Fees increasing, Covid vaccine booster reimbursement, Mental Health Parity still an issue, non-Covid healthcare utilization and more
Mental Health Parity in the News
While mental health parity often takes a back seat in behavioral health billing, recent news shows that it has not been forgotten.
Anthem – Information for Care Providers about COVID-19
Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Shield (Anthem) has developed a list of frequently asked questions regarding administrative processes and recent changes related to COVID-19.
New Hampshire Joint Legislative Committee Approves New Medicaid to Schools Rule
The New Hampshire Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules has approved changes to the state’s Medicaid to Schools program, which will allow eligible school districts to be reimbursed for providing health care, rehabilitation, and therapy services for children covered by Medicaid.
New York Updates Quality Measures for Medicaid Managed Care Organizations in the Value Based Payment Program
The New York Department of Health released the 2020 value-based payment (VBP) Reporting Requirements Technical Specifications Manual for Measurement Year (MY) 2019. The report includes an overview of the specific quality measure reporting requirements for each VBP arrangement, as well as a description of the changes to the measure sets from 2018 to 2019.
CMS Announces New Medicaid Initiative to Limit Drug Coverage, Keep Rebate Obligations
On January 30, CMS announced the new Healthy Adult Opportunity (HAO) initiative that it will allow states to limit drug coverage under Medicaid without reducing manufacturer rebate obligations.
Maryland Owes Millions of Dollars to Mental, Behavioral Health Providers
Mental and behavioral health providers in Maryland are owed millions of dollars for services that have gone unpaid because of a malfunctioning state payment system. The Maryland Health Department has begun sending providers estimated payments totaling about $32 million per week until the system is fixed.
CMS Issues Additional Guidance on D-SNP Integration Requirements
On January 17, CMS issued a memorandum providing additional guidance clarifying Medicare-Medicaid integration requirements for Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs). The memorandum is intended to clarify distinctions between fully integrated D-SNPs (FIDE SNPs) and highly integrated (HIDE SNPs); permissibility of carve-outs of behavioral health services and long term services and supports (LTSS) for FIDE SNPs and HIDE SNPs; alignment of D-SNP and companion Medicaid plan service areas; and compliance with integration requirements for DSNPs that only enroll partial-benefit dually eligible individuals.
CMS Awards 10 States with $50 Million to Combat Opioid Use Disorder
CMS, in December, announced ten states selected to receive funding under the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model and eight cooperative agreements for the Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model, in seven states.
CMS, HHS Proposes Changes to Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute Reforms
On October 9, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced proposed changes that seek to modernize and clarify the regulations that interpret the Physician Self-Referral Law (the Stark Law) and the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The proposed rule has been designed to provide greater certainty for healthcare providers participating in value-based arrangements and providing coordinated care for patients. The proposed changes are intended to ease the compliance burden for healthcare providers across the industry while maintaining strong safeguards to protect patients and programs from fraud and abuse.
Recruiting and Retention Strategies for Behavioral Health Practices
By Barbara Lewis, Director of People Services The current climate of low unemployment rates and high demand for healthcare jobs means that the candidate pool is shrinking, and recruiting is getting more challenging. Whereas in the past there may have been ten candidates that could meet all ten qualifications of a candidate, the reverse is…
CMS Advances ‘Patients over Paperwork’ Initiative Under Final Rule
On September 26, CMS issued The Omnibus Burden Reduction (Conditions of Participation) Final Rule, which advances the ‘Patients over Paperwork’ initiative aimed at reducing administrative costs in healthcare.
Texas to Receive Increase in Federal Funds for Uncompensated Care
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced, on October 1, that the state will be given $11.6 billion over the next three years to help reimburse health care providers for indigent services and is intended to benefit hospitals, clinics, public ambulance, and dental providers.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Proposes New Approach to End Surprise Medical Bills
In a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee, Chairman Richard Neal has proposed that the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Labor and Treasury Department, along with other interested parties, consolidate their efforts to develop standards for rates for surprise bills.
Proposed Legislation Aims to Improve Provider Directories Accuracy
Two physician lawmakers have proposed new legislation that aims to improve the accuracy of information in health plan provider directories and protect patients from surprise out-of-network bills. The Improving Provider Directories Act (HR 4575) would require health plans to provide an avenue for people to report errors in provider directories, in a “highly visible way”.
Executive Order Issued to Protect Traditional Medicare and MA Plans
The president, on October 3, signed an executive order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to increase efforts to provide more insurance plan options under Medicare Advantage and to remove regulations that are considered burdensome to health care providers. The order is intended to protect traditional Medicare and private Medicare Advantage while ramping up alternative payment models, time spent with patients, access to innovative technology and reducing the regulatory burdens on providers.
House Approves CR, Senate Unveils Draft HHS Bill
The House, on September 19, approved a short-term spending measure that will keep the government funded through mid-November and avoid a shutdown at the beginning of October. Additionally, the Senate, on the 18th, released the FY2020 subcommittee chairman’s recommendation for the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill.
Infographic – AdvantEdge Healthcare Solutions – Behavorial Health
AdvantEdge Healthcare Solutions is a national top 10 medical billing company and the nation’s largest revenue cycle management solutions for behavioral health practices and organizations since 1987. If you have questions about how AdvantEdge can improve your behavioral health billing so that you are collecting every dollar that you’re legally and ethically entitled, please call…
CMS Issues Renewed Guidance to Ensure Medicaid Program Integrity
On June 20, CMS released a renewed guidance to state Medicaid agencies that outlines the necessary assurances that states should make to ensure that program resources are reserved for those who meet eligibility requirements.
CMS Releases 2018 ACA Risk-Adjustment Data
CMS, on June 28, released its report summary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) risk adjustment program for the 2018 benefit year. The analysis found that 572 health insurers offering ACA plans participated in the program in 2018, and transfers between the companies totaled $10.4 billion.
