Source: https://data.cms.gov/provider-characteristics/medicare-provider-supplier-enrollment/opt-out-affidavits/data 29,309 clinicians had opted out as of 1/1/23, 31,603 have opted out as of 9/15/2023 (7.8% increase). 12,556 mental health clinicians (Psychiatry, Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Social Worker) had opted out as of January 2023, 13,726 have opted out as of September 2023 (9.3% increase). 5,022 psychologists had opted out as …
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
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 …
Continue reading ‘Who’s Opting Out Of Medicare? – Mental Health And Other Specialties’ »
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 …
Continue reading ‘Psychotherapy In Medicare – Update, The Second Pandemic Year’ »
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 …
Continue reading ‘How Much Do Therapists Charge? – 2023 Update’ »
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 …
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 …
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 …
Continue reading ‘Psychotherapy In Medicare Update – Initial Look At The First Pandemic Year’ »
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 …
