Author Topic: EHR for Behavioral/Mental Health  (Read 2721 times)

NuBiker

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EHR for Behavioral/Mental Health
« on: January 11, 2016, 08:52:21 PM »
Hi folks!!!
I am looking into finding a "Certified" program where the boss (my wife) can type her Charting Notes to be compatible with Medicare's requirement - they are currently penalizing us one per cent for not having an EHR program. We have always typed everything into our computers, this is just a formality.
I started making phone calls today, EHRs seem to cost $50 to $200 dollars per month.
We are a small practice, she sees about 40 - 50 patients per week.
Any suggestions?
Best Regards,
NuBiker

kristin

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Re: EHR for Behavioral/Mental Health
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2016, 11:25:29 PM »
What you are talking about is the Meaningful Use penalty, and while it was 1% in 2015, this year it is 2%, and next year it will be 3%. Because CMS assesses the penalties for not meeting Meaningful Use a year prior, the only penalty you can avoid at this point is the 3% one for next year, and on from that point on.

Achieving Meaningful Use through an EHR to avoid the penalty for 2017 involves a lot more than just using an EHR for 2016 as a formality for chart notes...you have to attest to your Meaningful Use and it is very involved. I am not sure if you are aware of that, or not, based on your post. If not, the CMS website has tons of info and fact sheets on exactly what is involved, including what measures need to be met for each eligible provider.

As far as EHR suggestions go, the cheapest I know of, that is certified(last I knew), is Practice Fusion. It is free.

Then there is this, just food for thought...the majority of providers I know(and it is a lot) are just taking the penalties, even when they are already using an EHR and have been for years, for a variety of reasons. The biggest one being the amount or work/time they and their staff need to put in, in order to achieve and attest successfully to Meaningful Use is more cost-wise than what the penalties are. Along with thinking they have successfully attested for incentive money when that was being offered, then being audited, and finding out they haven't, and now being threatened with having to return the money. It may be worth your time to actually figure out just how much money you will lose in penalties, versus what it will cost you to avoid those penalties.

NuBiker

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Re: EHR for Behavioral/Mental Health
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2016, 11:42:44 PM »
Kristin,
thank you so much for the reply!!!

PMRNC

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Re: EHR for Behavioral/Mental Health
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2016, 09:18:11 PM »
This wasn't mentioned..but as a small provider have you thought of OPTING out? since your client base is small it's probably costing you MORE.. opt out and you can escape all the mumbo jumbo. :)
Linda Walker
Practice Managers Resource & Networking Community
One Stop Resources, Education and Networking for Medical Billers
www.billerswebsite.com

NuBiker

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Re: EHR for Behavioral/Mental Health
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2016, 09:21:10 PM »
Thanks Linda!!!

Medical Billing Forum

Re: EHR for Behavioral/Mental Health
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2016, 09:21:10 PM »