Medical Billing and Coding Resources
A strong understanding of various codes that mental health treatments comprise of is required to be able to successfully bill the claims. It is important for practices to bring in reliable and expert vendors to handle billing, to overcome unique mental health billing challenges. Outsourcing mental health billing services can reduce practices’ overhead costs, increase reimbursements, decrease claim denials, and rejections. This can enable practices to focus more on their patients rather than spending hours constructing and interpreting the billing reports.
Co-occurrence of Mental Health and Substance Abuse The co-occurring problem of mental health and substance abuse is more common than you think. According to the reports in the Journal of the American Medical Association, around 50% of people with severe mental disorders are substance abusers. About 37% of alcohol abusers and 53% of drug abusers […]
Challenges in Mental Health Billing Medical billing can be extremely complicated on its own, but medical billing for mental health services brings its own set of unique challenges. Between the types of services offered, pre-authorization, unbundling concerns, and the size and time availability of office staff, mental health facilities are often at a disadvantage compared […]
Outpatient Mental Health Limitations Services provided in outpatient mental health settings are subject to a 62.5% limitation. The limitation applies to claims for professional services that represent mental health treatment furnished to individuals, who are not hospital inpatients, by physicians, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and other allied health professionals. Items and supplies furnished by […]
Mental Health and Hospitalization While the majority of people with mental health conditions will likely not need to spend time in a hospital or treatment center, an individual may need to be hospitalized so that they can be closely monitored and accurately diagnosed, have their medications adjusted or stabilized, or be monitored during an acute […]
Medicare Coverage for Mental Health Original Medicare is made up of Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance), includes certain coverage for mental health care when the care comes from a Medicare-assigned health-care provider. Medicare Part A covers hospital inpatient mental health care, including room, meals, nursing, and other related services and supplies. […]
The only legal way to be paid for a service is to bill using the correct CPT code. You must document that the level of service claimed was medically necessary and delivered. Fraud occurs when a person knowingly does something wrong that benefits them or another person. Abuse (and Waste) occurs when the use of […]
Medicare Part D also called the Medicare prescription drug benefit, is an optional United States federal-government program to help Medicare beneficiaries pay for self-administered prescription drugs through prescription drug insurance premiums. Let’s discuss Medicare part D coverage for mental health in this article. Eligibility and Enrolment Individuals on Medicare are eligible for prescription drug coverage […]
Many people have had the unhappy experience of being denied insurance coverage for mental health treatment they, their family, and doctor agree is medically necessary. Appealing denials for mental health can be complicated, frustrating, confusing, and difficult to navigate. Below are definitions of some of the most common terms used when health services are denied. […]
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) helps to cover outpatient mental health care and visits with these types of health professionals (deductibles and coinsurance may apply): A psychiatrist or other doctor Clinical psychologist Clinical social worker Clinical nurse specialist Nurse practitioner Physician assistant Part B covers outpatient mental health services, including services that are usually provided […]
Mental health care includes services and programs to help diagnose and treat mental health conditions. These services and programs may be provided in outpatient and inpatient settings. Medicare part A helps cover outpatient and inpatient mental health care, as well as prescription drugs you may need to treat a mental health condition. Mental health conditions, […]
