PRACTICE BULLETIN

Clinical Social Workers In Private Practice Needed For National Survey

January 1, 2007

NASW plans to participate in a practice expense survey sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the American Medical Association.  CMS will use the data collected to determine the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) and update practice expense payments that clinical social workers receive.   Practice expense makes up 44 percent of the total value of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes that clinical social workers and other providers use for reimbursement purposes.

NASW is seeking clinical social workers who are in full-time private practice and bill third-party payers for reimbursement to participate in this survey.  Based on the survey results for clinical social workers, CMS plans to adjust the 7 percent reduction in Medicare practice expense payments expected to occur during the next three years.

Clinical social workers in full-time private practice who would like to participate in this survey and help NASW advocate for higher Medicare payments, should send their name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address to mcoleman@naswdc.org no later than January 29, 2007. Questions about the survey process may also be forwarded to this e-mail address.