Poor access to mental healthcare prompts increased behavioral health emergencies and greater costs of care.
Rural communities face enough challenges with access to basic medical care. Accessing behavioral health has become increasingly difficult for every population, yet those in rural areas face obstacles of grand proportions.
Data doesn’t lie, and there’s new information to validate the scope of behavioral health treatment gaps across rural America. Mental Health America released its 2020 rankings, using 15 measures that encompassed treatment quality for children, youth, and adults with:
Also explored were students identified with emotional disturbance for an individualized education program, and mental health workforce availability (true provider deserts).
States with high percentages of rural populations ranked in the bottom 10 of the rankings:
Poor access to mental healthcare prompts increased behavioral health emergencies, hospitalizations, and greater costs of care for any organization.
On another front, a second new report, Growing Stress on the Farm: The Expanding Economic Mental Health Disparities in Rural Missouri, was published by entities around the state, including the Missouri Coalition of Behavioral Health, Department of Mental Health, Farm Bureau, Hospital Association, and University of Missouri extension. Dismal realities were highlighted, including:
The report provides information on the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide, and what to do, with key resources. The stigma associated with behavioral health is evident through the data, with a mandate for action necessary.
Programming Note: Listen to Ellen Fink-Samnick’s live reporting on the State of the Social Determinants weekly on Monitor Mondays, 10-10:30 a.m. EST.
Imagine receiving notice that your healthcare organization faces a potential multimillion-dollar repayment demand based on the review of just 100 claims. This scenario, playing out
Some of you may have read my article from last week kindly published as a special bulletin. For those who did not, let me recap.
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Physician queries are essential for accurate documentation and claims data, but they are increasingly scrutinized by payors, leading to denials and revenue leakage. This webcast, led by industry expert Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CCDS, CDIP, provides actionable strategies to craft compliant queries, reduce denials, and enhance revenue integrity. Attendees will gain insights into clinical validation queries, how to avoid common pitfalls, and learn best practices to defend against query denials. Don’t miss this opportunity to refine your query process and protect your organization’s financial health.
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Prepare your organization for the 2025 OPPS updates with expert insights from Tiffani Bouchard, CCS, CRCR, a Revenue Integrity Professional with over 30 years of experience. This webcast will address critical challenges in charge capture and coding, providing clarity on APC policies, C-APC packaging, exclusions, and payer-specific requirements. Attendees will learn actionable strategies to ensure compliance, optimize reimbursement, and mitigate risks of claim denials. Gain the knowledge needed to implement updates effectively, educate your team, and maintain seamless revenue cycle operations in the face of evolving OPPS complexities.
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The 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule brings significant changes to payment rates, coverage, and coding for physician services, impacting practices nationwide. Join Stanley Nachimson, MS., as he provides a comprehensive guide to understanding these updates, offering actionable insights on new Medicare-covered services, revised coding rules, and payment policies effective January 1. Learn how to adapt your practices to maintain compliance, maximize reimbursement, and plan for revenue in 2025. Whether you’re a physician, coder, or financial staff member, this session equips you with the tools to navigate Medicare’s evolving requirements confidently and efficiently.
Dr. Ronald Hirsch provides critical details on the new Medicare Appeal Process for Status Changes for patients whose status changes during their hospital stay. He also delves into other scenarios of hospital patients receiving custodial care or medically unnecessary services where patient notifications may be needed along with the processes necessary to ensure compliance with state and federal guidance.
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