Tips and Tools for Social Workers

In December 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a request for information regarding the Essential Health Benefits covered under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Essential Health Benefits (EHB) include 10 categories of services that health insurance plans must cover under the ACA.

On December 2, 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights released for public comments the Notice for Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records.

The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) for calendar year (CY) 2023, released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in November 2022, addresses Medicare payment policies for physicians and other Medicare providers between January 1 and December 31). These federal regulations reflect input provided by NASW and other stakeholders (including Medicare beneficiaries, beneficiary advocates, and providers) during a two-month public comment period for a corresponding proposed rule.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced updates to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) which can be found in the 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and the QPP Resource Library. This document provides updates that are pertinent to clinical social workers (CSWs).

Effective January 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), implemented the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). The 2953 page rule includes updates to policies and payments that are applicable to clinical social workers (CSWs) and other Medicare providers. The following is a summary of the provisions and their implications for CSWs.