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• New CPT Billing Codes for Psychotherapy Go Into Effect January 1

  The CPT code numbers that mental health professionals use for billing psychotherapy services to insurance carriers will change on January 1, 2013. In addition to the code changes, Medicare reimbursement rates will also be revised. The AMA will publish the new codes and rates later this fall. The American Psychological Association’s Practice Central Web site outlines some of the anticipated changes, which include: 1.  Outpatient and inpatient psychotherapy codes will be replaced by a single set of codes that can be used in both settings. 2.  The new psychotherapy codes will have specified times rather than ranges: 30 minutes, not 20-30 minutes 45 minutes, not 45-50 minutes 60 minutes, not 75-80 minutes 3.  The single psychiatric diagnostic evaluation code will be replaced by two codes: one for a diagnostic evaluation and the other for a diagnostic evaluation with medical services. What practical steps do you need to take now in order to prepare for these changes? According to the American Psychiatric Association, the ...

• New CPT Codes for Psychotherapy

  New current procedural terminology (CPT) codes went into effect January 1 of this year, marking the first overhaul of the codes used to describe psychotherapy treatment since 1998. The only codes that were revised were the psychotherapy family of codes – codes used to describe testing, health, and behavior remain unchanged. Reports of the new codes causing major glitches for many providers have started to surface. Many third-party payers, including Medicare and Medicaid, were not updated to recognize the new claim codes, causing delays for payment and denials for service. Though steps are being taken steps to rectify these issues, many providers have not received payment for the work they have done this year. The American Psychological Association’s coding Web site has had more than 300,000 hits in the past month and has published an extensive list of questions on how to handle this transition and what to do if you are being denied payment. For more information on the new codes, APA has published a special issue. What has your experience been with the new CPT codes?

• New SDS Video Goes Viral!

  Here at PAR, we are delighted by the positive response to our new Self-Directed Search®, 5th Edition. One of the most widely used career interest inventories in the world, the SDS® has been revised to meet the needs of today’s clients. To help spread the word about the new SDS® 5th Edition, we created a humorous video about college planning—or rather, what happens when there isn’t a plan! This video is making its way around the Internet as students, parents, teachers, and counselors are sharing the message that students need reliable tools to help them explore careers and find their future. So take a moment to enjoy this short video, and if you like it, please share it through e-mail or your favorite social medium. Introducing the (ahem!) four-year plan…  

• The MMSE®/MMSE®-2™ Cognitive Impairment Screener Goes Mobile in New App

  One of the world’s most popular and trusted assessments of cognitive impairment is now available as a convenient app for smartphones and tablets. Like the paper-and-pencil version, the app can be used to screen for cognitive impairment, to select patients for clinical trials research in dementia treatment, or to track patients’ progress over time. The MMSE/MMSE-2 app includes a brief instructional video that walks users through the features of the app. In addition to the original MMSE, both standard and brief versions of the MMSE-2 are available, enabling health care providers to choose the version that will suit each client. Scoring is done automatically, and patient records can be uploaded directly to an electronic medical records (EMR) system or e-mailed to appropriate personnel. Equivalent, alternate forms of the MMSE-2 decrease the possibility of practice effects that can occur over serial examinations. The app also includes norms for the MMSE and the MMSE-2, by age and education level. The MMSE/MMSE-2 app is available to qualified health care professionals from the Apple® App StoreSM (for the iPhone® or iPad®) and from Google Play ...

• PAR Goes to NAN 2011

  Are you attending the National Academy of Neuropsychology’s 31st Annual Conference? PAR will be exhibiting during this year’s conference, so please stop by the booth to say hello. Several PAR authors will be presenting during the conference, as well. PAR author Randy K. Otto, PhD, ABPP will be presenting a CE course on Wednesday, November 16 at 1 p.m. entitled “Ethics in Forensic Psychological Practice.” Dr. Otto is coauthor of the Inventory of Legal Knowledge™ (ILK™). On Friday, November 18 at 1 p.m., PAR authors Sarah Raskin, PhD and Carol Buckheit, along with PAR project director Christina Sherrod, PhD, will be giving a CE workshop called “The Memory for Intentions Test™: Administration, Psychometric Properties, and Clinical Evidence.” Stop by and learn more about this measure. Bring any product questions to the PAR booth, where you can learn more about our products, speak to our Clinical Assessment Consultants about your testing needs, and place your orders. Remember, all orders made during NAN 2011 get a 15% discount plus free shipping and handling. See you in Marco Island!

• Can Animals Help When Psychologists Can’t?

  Some of the world’s best ideas happen by accident – as did the creation of animal-assisted therapy (AAT). In the 1950s, psychologist Boris Levinson discovered that his dog, Jingles, was able to engage a child with autism in a way that humans had not been able to. Since that time, the theory and practice of using animals in therapeutic ways has grown and a substantial body of research has documented the health benefits unique to the human-animal bond. The Delta Society is an organization dedicated to improving people’s lives through positive interactions with animals. The society trains dogs, the most frequently used therapy animals, but also trains cats, birds, reptiles, and more. According to their research, when people hold or stroke an animal, their blood pressure lowers, their ability to be more extroverted and verbal increases, and the individual reports a decreased sense of loneliness and an increase in self-esteem. Another organization, the Equine Assisted Growth & Learning Association (EAGALA), focuses specifically on how horses and humans work together to improve mental health. The benefits of animal-assisted therapy have been documented ...