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Billing and Financial

Next Reply: Re:Social Work Visits and Billing
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Post Social Work Visits and Billing
Author: dianew
Date: Nov 6, 2007 3:04 pm
Can anyone provide information regarding social work visit to palliative care patients who are in their homes? Our palliative care program is just beginning to grow. It is a partnership program with our hospice services. We have our hospice medical director making home visits to palliative care patients and he would like to have the social workers begin to get involved with some patients/families. The social work team is also wanting to be available to these patients and families--we are looking for any information that can help us get started, be appropriately involved and bill for our services. Any guidance?
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Re:Social Work Visits and Billing (by PCaines on 02/26/2008)
The below response was provided by: Anne Monroe Palliative Care Center of Bluegrass Palliative Care Leadership Center A licensed clinical social worker can bill for psychotherapy in a patient's home. This requires the LCSW to provide psychotherapy with a DSM-IV diagnosis. Obviously, the LCSW would need to be enrolled in Medicare and private payers for reimbursement. If the physician and LCSW see the patient simultaneously, Medicare would argue that this was not a true psychotherapy session. The services covered in psychotherapy do not include what some call "traditional social work" - such as advanced directives, applying for a handicap parking pass, etc. The CMS web page has more information. Visit this link: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/Downloads/bp102c15.pdf

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