IOP stands for Intensive Outpatient. This type of care is used most in the behavioral health industry for the treatment of substance abuse issues. It is also utilized for patients with mental health disorders. Most state licensing departments classify IOP as an outpatient service, requiring an outpatient license. IOP can be 3, 4, or 5 days per week and normally consists of at least 3 hours per day of programming.
The SUPPORT Act and Healthcare Providers—A First Look
The newly enacted SUPPORT Act’s wide-ranging provisions take aim at the entire healthcare continuum, including providers, who will be on the front lines of change as the new law takes effect. The law includes amendments to Medicare and Medicaid, and changes affecting program integrity and transparency reporting of provider payments by drug and device manufacturers and the disposal of unused medication.
The Importance of Accreditation
Accreditation is an important piece of the behavioral health industry puzzle. Treatment Centers should seek accreditation as soon as they can for many reasons. While most insurance payers don’t require Treatment Centers to be accredited, some payers have already made the shift to requiring accreditation before they will pay for the service rendered. Treatment Centers can choose accreditation at the state level through CARF. They can also opt to become accredited through JCAHO, which is accreditation at the national level.
Editorial: Opioid overdose deaths: A national catastrophe - Chicago Tribune
…Last year, according to a preliminary estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 72,000 lives were lost to overdoses. That’s 197 people dying every day — more than enough to fill a Boeing 737 passenger jet. It’s an increase of more than 6 percent over 2016.
The Best Health Insurance Companies of 2018 - (Healthcare.com)
Denials: The bane of every treatment center’s existence
Verification of Benefits 101: who, what, where, when and why?
A verification of benefits is the first vital piece of admitting a patient to your facility. If they don’t have benefits for the treatment they receive, there will be no reimbursement. There are a number of things that can be found out on a verification call; information about patient responsibility, what services are covered, etc.
To be in-network or not to be?
To be in-network or not to be? This is a question for which many behavioral healthcare facilities struggle to find an answer. There are so many things to consider before signing any contract, but it can be difficult to know what those things are. Ultimately, it comes down to the choice of the facility decision-makers, but there are a few things to consider during the process of making a decision.