Monitor on Psychology - November 2011 - (Page 48)

understand the benefits of including psychologists as part of interdisciplinary teams of physicians, nurses and other medical providers, she warns. That’s troubling given health-care reform’s emphasis on new models of care, such as patient-centered health homes and ACOs. In the patient-centered health home, interdisciplinary teams work together to provide integrated care to patients. In ACOs, individual health-care providers, group providers and hospital systems come together to provide services to a defined population. APA and APAPO are tracking such developments and working to ensure that psychologists are eligible to participate in such models of care. For example, APA serves on the executive committee of the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative, a huge coalition whose members include large employers, primary-care physician associations, professional groups, health benefits companies, academic centers and others. And, as part of APA’s new strategic plan, APA will be hiring a primary-care fellow to help identify integrated health-care models, determine their effectiveness and work to promote the adoption of successful models. but might facilitate psychologists’ eligibility for future financial incentives for adopting electronic records systems. Another barrier is state corporate practice of medicine statutes. These statutes prohibit psychologists from forming integrated practice corporations with physicians and other types of health-care professionals in about half the states, including such large states as Florida, Illinois and New York. “This in turn makes it harder for psychologists to form entities that would have the size and diversity necessary for getting involved with ACOs,” says Alan Nessman, JD, senior special counsel for legal and regulatory affairs in APA’s Practice Organization. APAPO has researched the statutes to find out which states permit integrated professional corporations and will work with SPTAs to change laws in those that do not or to find alternative integrated practice structures. Health-care reform will also reform payment systems, with a shift away from fee-for-service models. “The government believes the fee-for-service model encourages providers to bill for procedures because the only way you get more money is to bill more procedures,” explains Nordal. One of APA’s top priorities in seeking health-care reform was the belief in the mind-body connection and the need for integrating patients’ physical, mental and behavioral health care. The Affordable Care Act reflects that vision by emphasizing primary care and interdisciplinary health-care teams. APA and APAPO are also working to eliminate barriers that could keep psychologists from participating in these new models of care. One such hindrance is the high cost of electronic medical record systems, which Nordal calls “the infrastructure that supports integrated care.” The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) — passed in 2009 as part of the stimulus package — offered financial incentives to providers who adopted electronic records, but doesn’t include psychologists and other mental health professionals and facilities. APAPO is pushing legislation that would include them. Another of APAPO’s legislative priorities is to get psychologists included in Medicare’s definition of “physician” — a definition that includes such providers as podiatrists and chiropractors. Doing so would not only remove requirements that psychologists be supervised by physicians in some settings, 48 To lower those unnecessary costs, the government is now exploring the idea of reimbursing providers based on their outcomes. For instance, the government might contract with ACOs to provide health care for a population of Medicare beneficiaries for a set fee per patient per calendar year. If the ACO can provide the care less expensively, the ACO would share in the money saved. However, if the care costs more than contracted for, the ACO would have to absorb those costs. “We’re concerned about how those reimbursement systems are going to impact psychologists, so we’re certainly watching that,” says Nordal. investing in prevention The Affordable Care Act also signals a new willingness to invest in prevention. “The law says, ‘We’re not just going to wait around until M o n i to r o n p s yc h o l o g y • n ov e M b e r 2 0 1 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - November 2011

Monitor on Psychology - November 2011
Letters
President’s Column
Contents
Guest Column
‘Grand Challenges’ offers blueprint for mental health research
Documentary seeks to reach parents of LGBT kids
Treating veterans will cost at least $5 billion by 2020
Selfless volunteering might lengthen your life
Combat and stress up among U.S. military in Afghanistan
South Africa to host international psychology conference
Study uncovers a reason behind sex differences in mental illness
Navy psychologist gives a voice to combat trauma
In Brief
Psychologist suicide
On Your Behalf
Journey back to Heart Mountain
Psychology is key to pain management, report finds
ACT goes international
Judicial Notebook
Random Sample
Time Capsule
Questionnaire
Science Watch
Behavior change in 15-minute sessions?
Health-care reform 2.0
Perspective on Practice
Giving a heads up on concussion
Practice Profile
Searching for meaning
Inspiring young researchers
Aging, with grace
Public Interest
Thank you!
APA News
Division Spotlight
American Psychological Foundation
The man who gave Head Start a start
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - November 2011