Archive of entries posted by Gordon Herz
Medicare Conversion Factor Over Time With 2024 Proposed Rule Update
Note: Red = 2 year moving average trendline. Source: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicare-fee-service-payment/physicianfeesched/pfs-federal-regulation-notices/cms-1784-p
Who’s Opting Out Of Medicare? – Mental Health And Other Specialties
When I wrote about this in 2018, the trend was a decreasing rate of mental health clinicians opting out of Medicare, despite flattening reimbursement rates and other concerns. At that time, a total of 8,661 psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers had formally opted out, estimated to represent fewer than 2% of available mental health …
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Psychotherapy In Medicare – Update, The Second Pandemic Year
I previously reported about psychotherapy utilization in Medicare during the first pandemic year, 2020. Public use data have recently become available for 2021, allowing comparisons and perhaps some insights into psychotherapy in this very large population (62.6 million total enrollees in 2021). All psychotherapy provided For this analysis, only procedure codes reflecting 30, 45, and …
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How Much Do Therapists Charge? – 2023 Update
I first reported about mental health fees in 2013, and then again last year. The following update is based on all charges submitted to Medicare for these services in 2021 by psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. In theory, charges to patients who have Medicare are likely to be the same as or very similar to …
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How Much Do Psychologists Charge?
It’s been a while since I reported about this. Given that hospitals and now insurance companies are required to publicly report their charges including cash prices for uninsured consumers and negotiated reimbursement, and especially in the context of current needs for access and care, maybe it’s time for mental health clinicians to increase transparency. What …
Neuro/Psychological Testing Services In Medicare – Initial Look At The First Pandemic Year
Diagnostic neuropsychological and psychological testing are predominantly psychologist-performed services in Medicare. The following provides an initial look at these services by psychologists and other health professionals in 2020 – the first year of the pandemic – based on data that have recently become available through CMS*. Seventeen diagnostic testing/evaluation services were available to psychologists in …
Psychotherapy In Medicare Update – Initial Look At The First Pandemic Year
Public use data have recently become available through CMS, allowing initial looks at practice patterns during the first year of the pandemic. 2020 may have been a banner year for a shift to telehealth, but the increased flexibilities do not seem to have yielded increased provision of psychotherapy overall to the Medicare population. Indeed, an …
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CareDash is an Atrocious Company
3 August 2022 UPDATE: PsiAN (Psychotherapy Action Network) has written a letter to the Federal Trade Commission protesting “the misleading business practices of CareDash and BetterHelp,” together with the American Psychoanalytic Association and the American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work. They are gathering signatures on a related petition, here: PsiAN Petition: Protecting Consumers and …
Price Comparison Summary Behavioral Health Services Madison And Related System Locations
The following are prices listed for the six behavioral health services required to be provided by hospitals in a consumer-friendly “shoppable services” search. Prices were retrieved 15 January 2022 on review of these three hospitals and related locations. Location Service SSMHealth St. Mary’s UnityPoint Health Meriter UW 30 Minute Therapy NF PC $154 45 Minute …