Implementation of Substance Use Treatment in Ambulatory Care

Starting January 1, 2020, under the Calendar Year (CY) 2020 Physician Fee Schedule final rule the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will pay Opioid Treatment Programs through bundled payments for opioid use disorder treatment services in an episode of care provided to people with Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance).

In the Calender Year 2020 Physician Fee Schedule final rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services included new coding and payment for a monthly bundle of services for the treatment of opioid use disorder that includes overall management, care coordination, individual and group psychotherapy, substance use counseling, and add-on code for additional counseling. This is a way for clinicians to bill for a group of services in the office setting similar to the services covered under the Opioid Treatment Program benefit for clinics.

Not sure where to start in implementing Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for adolescents within your primary care setting? These on-demand modules breaks out the clinical components of the SBIRT process and introduce the Improving Adolescent Health: Facilitating Change for Excellence in SBIRT change package.

SAMHSA recognizes the challenges posed by the current COVID-19 situation and is providing the following guidance on the provision of methadone and buprenorphine for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in the COVID-19 emergency for Opioid Treatment Programs.

Offers guidance on video conferencing with patients when providing substance use services, including a clinical support session checklist, a review of legal, ethical, and patient/peer safety concerns, and privacy/security and confidentiality issues

Assists clinicians and administrators in implementing behavioral healthcare using telehealth by offering key considerations and examples of using telehealth for behavioral health

Provides assistance, education, and information to organizations and individuals who are actively providing or interested in providing healthcare at a distance through events, resources, webinars, techncial assistance, and an interactive map used to find the affiliated regional telehealth resource center

Provides an introduction to implementing telehealth services in primary care during COVID-19, including the prerequisites, policies, procedures, and practice

Provides an overview of telehealth-related mandates and policies during COVID-19 for each State

Reviews policy updates to telehealth services in light of COVID-19 to help primary care practices better serve their patient population via telehealth