The Ethics of Other People Writing Your Treatment Plan QUESTION Is it ethical for one therapist to write a Treatment Plan for another therapist to use? At my group practice, I’m often asked as a licensed therapist to do an Intake and write the Treatment Plan to hand off to a master’s … [Read more...] about The Ethics of Other People Writing Your Treatment Plan
Can You Combine the Intake Summary and the Diagnostic Session Note?
QUESTION: Can You Combine the Intake Summary and the Diagnostic Session Note? My EHR combines the Intake Summary and the Diagnostic Session Note and calls it the Intake Session Note. What do you think of combining them? ANSWER I prefer the documents to be separated, but there is no … [Read more...] about Can You Combine the Intake Summary and the Diagnostic Session Note?
Should I Document Medications on Progress Notes?
QUESTION: Should I Document Medications on Progress Notes? I have heard from others, who consider themselves Medicare documentation experts, that it is unnecessary to document anything about psychiatric medication compliance and effectiveness. They advise against it as it is the prescriber's job, … [Read more...] about Should I Document Medications on Progress Notes?
Mental Health Documentation for Workman’s Compensation
Mental Health Documentation for Workman’s Compensation A therapist recently asked me how to document for a Workman’s Compensation claim. Some companies will accept a summary of treatment. Most will want the client’s full record. That will include the Diagnostic Assessment, … [Read more...] about Mental Health Documentation for Workman’s Compensation
5 Types of Insurance Reviews
If you’ve ever gotten a letter from a health insurance company and felt your blood pressure spike while you open it, you’re not alone. The fear of being audited can cause as much anxiety as having a suicidal client. But just like a range in client risk, there is more or less risk involved with … [Read more...] about 5 Types of Insurance Reviews
Winning an Insurance Audit Appeal!
I WON an Overpayment Recoupment for mental health services from Blue Cross Blue Shield! And I’m sharing what I did in case you find yourself dealing with the same thing. I got the dreaded insurance recoupment letter from BCBS saying they overpaid me (over $1700) and demanded their money back. … [Read more...] about Winning an Insurance Audit Appeal!
ALERT — CareDash and BetterHelp
Watch Your Back If you are a therapist, social worker, counselor, or psychologist, I’d like to call your attention to the fraudulent and unethical business practice of a company called CareDash. CareDash has created a directory of 1000s of therapists and your name might be on it. This may … [Read more...] about ALERT — CareDash and BetterHelp
Should I Use a Treatment Planning Book?
Should I Use a Treatment Planning Book? Like many answers to questions about mental health, the answer to this common question on whether or not you should use a treatment planning book is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no. When discussing treatment plans during my trainings, I … [Read more...] about Should I Use a Treatment Planning Book?
How to Document Prognosis for Mental Health
Medicare just added Prognosis to its list of documentation requirements. UGH! One more thing to think about and document. But how? What Is a Prognosis? Prognosis refers to making an educated guess about the expected outcome of treatment. Based on the medical model, it’s a prediction of a … [Read more...] about How to Document Prognosis for Mental Health