CMS Announces Medicare Coverage of Psychiatric Consultations in Collaborative Care

Medicare will begin reimbursement next year for collaborative care services, according to an announcement by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS, in its proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rule, has included coverage for “Psychiatric Collaborative Care Management Services.” The coding for those services will support payments to psychiatrists for consultative services they provide to primary care physicians in the collaborative care model (CoCM). The model was developed by the late Wayne Katon, M.D., and Jürgen Unützer, M.D., M.P.H., at the AIMS Center of the University of Washington. It is the only evidence-based model of its kind and has been proven effective in more than 80 randomized, controlled trials.“This is a huge win for APA, psychiatrists, as well as patients with mental health and substance use disorders,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “The APA administration is in the process of reviewing the rule for more specifics regarding these new codes and other provisions of the proposed rule.” After conducting its review, which will include an analysis of work values associated with the coding, APA will submit comments to CMS.In the CoCM, the primary health care provider employs a behavioral health care manager to provide ongoing care management for a caseload of patients with diagnosed mental health or substance use disorders. The psychiatrist provides the primary care practice with expert advice a...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research