The Behavioral Medicine Report

Medicare reimbursement has been front and center on Capitol Hill over the past several months. The involvement of practicing psychologists across the country in grassroots advocacy played a key role in ensuring the enactment of several laws extending the 5% payment restoration for Medicare psychotherapy services and preventing the 21.3% Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) cut. Without your support, these essential victories would not have been possible.

We need your help again. Many of you have been randomly selected to participate in a critical survey of the psychotherapy codes as part of an important regulatory process of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), known as the Five-Year Review. This is the first opportunity in more than a decade for psychologists to directly voice their opinions regarding how psychotherapy services should be valued.

The data from the survey will be used to create new work values for the psychotherapy codes, and ultimately, determine Medicare’s reimbursement for these services. In addition, because Medicare’s rates serve as the benchmark for most private insurance companies, this effort will significantly affect the practice of psychologists beyond those who treat Medicare-eligible patients.

If you have received a survey invitation, please complete the survey by July 9. Kimberley Moore in Government Relations at American Psychological Association is available to answer any questions. Feel free to contact me if you need contact information.

Psychology’s participation in this survey is critical to the future of independent practice. Do not let this opportunity go to waste. Please complete your survey today!

Jeff Cook, J.D.
Director of Field & State Operations
American Psychological Association Practice Organization
750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002
(202) 336-5875 (Office)
(202) 336-5797 (Fax)
jco…@apa.org (click to verify and reveal email)

Republished with permission: APAPO

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