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Practice Management Insight

January 2010

A report on events affecting Oklahoma providers

January 1

New Year’s Day

January 6-7

Fundamentals of
Wraparound 101 (Tulsa)

Tulsa Tech, Riverside Campus

801 E. 91st Street

Tulsa, OK 74132

More Information

Register Online

January 11-12

Fundamentals of
Wraparound 101 (OKC)

ODMHSAS, Shepherd Mall

2401 NW 23rd, 2nd Floor

Oklahoma City, OK 73107

More Information

Register Online

January 14

OHCA Board Meeting

January 14

Cognitive Behavioral Techniques

Tulsa Tech, Lemley Campus

3420 S. Memorial Dr.

Tulsa, OK 74145

Contact: 405-522-8300

More Information

January 18

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 19

OHCA Permanent

Rulemaking Public Hearing

January 19-20

Case Management Training

ODMHSAS, Shepherd Mall

2401 NW 23rd, Suite 1F

Oklahoma City, OK 73107

More Information

January 27-28

Family Support
Provider (FSP) Training

ODMHSAS, Shepherd Mall

2401 NW 23rd, 2nd Floor

Oklahoma City, OK 73107

More Information

Register Online

January 27-29

3rd Annual Mental Health, Prevention and Substance Abuse Conference

Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center

2501 Conference Drive

Norman, OK 73069

Contact: HRD at 405-522-8300

or fax 405-522-8320

More Information

New OHCA and DMH Rates

Already Built Into ThinkHealth

Follow ThinkHealth on Twitter!

WEBSITE FOR ODMHSAS: www.ok.gov/odmhsas

NEW

& IMPROVED

A Message from OHCA on Recent Budget Cuts

“Because our programs serve so many Oklahomans, we know our members are concerned about the effects of recent budget cuts mandated by the State Legislature. Please be assured that we are carefully and thoughtfully evaluating ways to meet our revised budget.” - OHCA                                      More Information

Dec 10 News Release
Health Care Authority OKs $16.8 Million in Budget Cuts

“TULSA—Today [the] Oklahoma Health Care Authority board, which administers the SoonerCare (Medicaid) program, voted to cut $69.6 million from the program’s 2010 budget to meet a state-mandated 5 percent funding reduction. The cut represented $16.8 million in state funds while the balance is matching federal funds.

The cuts involved reducing administrative costs at the agency, changes to durable medical equipment (DME) and prescription benefits and changes in payments to providers.

Changes most likely to be noticed by SoonerCare members are higher co-pays for adults. Inpatient hospital co-pays will increase from $3 to $10 per day, with a cap of $90, and home health co-pays will increase from $1 to $3 per visit. Adult behavioral health and DME, which previously had no co-pays, will now costs members $3 per visit.

(continued in next column)

Also, while adult members will still get six prescriptions a month, only two can be brand-name medications. Some of the more significant changes to providers include cost caps on some behavioral health treatments; pricing adjustments for oxygen, nebulizers and other DME products; and reducing payment for some resin dental fillings.

‘The OHCA staff has worked diligently with providers and advocates to determine precise cuts that we hope will be the least painful. However, we know that any time you reduce benefits or services, people are affected,’ said Mike Fogarty, OHCA’s chief executive
officer.

‘It is important to not that any reduction in state dollars in Medicaid results in a reduction in federal dollars to operate the program; currently, $1 cut in state funds means a loss of $3 in federal funds for a total program reduction of
$4 dollars, he added. For more details about the budget cuts approved at today’s board meeting, visit OHCA’s website at http://www.okhca.org/board-meetings.”

See this article at OHCA

Dec 16 News Release
In Re: Additional state Revenue Reductions

“OKLAHOMA CITY—The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is evaluating the impact of the additional state revenue reductions. Once the extent of the revenue reduction is known, an action plan will be developed and recommended to the OHCA Board at its next meeting. Cuts will likely include reductions in provider payment rates and additional benefit reductions. Hopefully, uncommitted federal Medicaid stimulus funds will be made available to replace lost state revenue. It is important to note that any reduction in state dollars in the SoonerCare (Medicaid) program results in a reduction in federal dollars to fund the program; currently, [a] $1 cut in state funds means a loss of $3 in federal funds for a total program reduction of 4 dollars. - OHCA Spokesperson Jo Kilgore.”

See this article at OHCA

See a Detailed

List of Budget

Reductions (PDF)

See the Budget Reduction Recommendation Presented (PDF)

What people are saying about ThinkHealth

“Your team is wonderful! … [A]lways friendly and very good at teaching all the functions of ThinkHealth. … [T]he team always does their best to help with my questions and if one of them doesn’t know the answer they will go find it. I appreciate all of them and all of their hard work very much!” - Melanie

“We, as always, are more than glad to serve as a reference for you guys. Daybreak was very fortunate to make the decision before we opened to use ThinkHealth. Your product is seamless and high quality. We took the time to check out every other provider and believe yours was the best hands down. Mostly we have been pleased by the response and helpfulness of your team. ..

“I know all of the changes from OHCA and DMH have been huge for you guys and it has been amazing to watch you keep up with it all with very few glitches. I bet you had no idea there would be with many constant changes when you first did this! We keep wondering, will they ever reach a time when things stay the same for a few months!” - David Peters, executive director.

CDCs now expire in 6 months.

DMH services have changed—either in billing code, or in amounts.

Who’s going to keep track of that? ThinkHealth can do it for you. ThinkHealth’s Patient, Assessment and Treatment Plan modules will use the information you enter to fill out CDCs automatically.

Updating your paperwork every time rates or codes change can be a huge hassle. Or, you can get ThinkHealth, and rest easy in the comfort of knowing they are already built in.

Treatment Plans can no longer begin before the date they are sent in.

ThinkHealth will alert you when you slip into old habits and attempt to write a treatment plan that will only be denied. Think about how much time you will save with a system that checks everything for you before you send it in.

All treatment plans are now required to have an attached CDC

Every treatment plan sent in must now have an attached CDC, or else it will be rejected. To make sure you don’t accidentally forget your CDC, ThinkHealth won’t let you send in a treatment plan without it. All you have to do is select your desired existing CDC from a drop down list when you are inside the treatment plan module, and you’re done. Then, ThinkHealth will automatically transmit the CDC along with the treatment plan to APS, making sure the two stay linked, sending your treatment plan through without delay.

With the upcoming February OHCA/DMH changes looming on the horizon, many centers still remain unaware of exactly how much of an upheaval to their center’s daily operations these changes will bring. ThinkHealth has the experience and the system to make your life easier. Become familiar with a system that will stay updated with the State (for free) but won't change the way it looks and operates, making the transition much easier for your staff. ThinkHealth comes with a local support team, and free updates every time the State changes, keeping you compliant! Your process for how you operate your center from patient management to billing is going to dramatically change this February. Why not move these new procedures in-house, using a software system that will work with you and the coming changes?

Things to Look for in February:

OrionNet Systems’ ThinkHealth software used by more

OHCA and DMH centers than any other software statewide.