FAQ
What are the qualifications for the care manager?
The care manager must have experience in screening, assessment, and treatment planning for mental health and substance use disorders. See the sample job description below for more requirements of the care manager. Additional characteristics of an effective care manager include empathic, caring individuals with excellent communication skills. They need to be organized, and capable of working well with patients and the members of the care team. Below please find a sample job description for the care manager role:
Sample Care Manager Job Description
Does the care manager have to be in person vs virtual?
The care manager can work in any, or within a blend, of the following modalities: in-person, virtual, or hybrid.
Which patients should be enrolled in Collaborative Care?
Patients that screened positive for behavior health conditions such as depression, anxiety and co-morbid conditions.
Does the perinatal psychiatrist see the patient?
The perinatal psychiatrist does not typically see the patient. In the perinatal collaborative care model, the psychiatrist is usually available for consultation, as needed, and participates in weekly supervision meetings with the care manager.
What are the Collaborative Care Model billing codes?
The American Psychiatric Association Practice and Billing Toolkit provides an overview of the collaborative care billing codes:
A brief overview of the CPT codes listed are provided below:
99492: CoCM First Month - Bills for the first 70 minutes of the first month of collaborative care
99493: CoCM Subsequent Months - Bills for the first 60 minutes of any subsequent month of collaborative care
99494: Add-On CoCM (any month - Bills for each additional 30 minutes in any month
G2214: Initial or subsequent psychiatric collaborative care management - Bills for the first 30 minutes in the first month of care or any subsequent month
99484: General Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) - Bills for at least 20 minutes per calendar month
G0512: RHC/FQHC only, CoCM - Bills for 60 minutes or more of clinical staff time
G0511: RHC/FQHC general care management - Bills for 20 minutes or more
How does the care manager interact with other members of the care team?
As the central part of the care team, the care manager facilitates regular communication with each member of the care team (i.e. psychiatrist(s), behavioral health therapist(s), and the obstetric provider) and the patient.
How are patients consented into the perinatal collaborative care model?
In the collaborative care model, the obstetric provider obtains the patient's permission to connect them with the care manager. Once the patient meets with the care manager, they will be verbally consented by the care manager to be officially enrolled in the perinatal collaborative care model. The care manager will provide any additional key information. The AIMS Center at the University of Washington provides additional guidelines on patient consent and the collaborative care model. The American Psychiatric Association’s (APAs) Practice and Billing Toolkit provides additional guidance on documenting consent and introducing the collaborative care model to patients.
Can a patient be both in the Perinatal Collaborative Care Model and traditional therapy?
Yes, patients can partake in both.
What services are delivered within the Perinatal Collaborative Care Model?
The perinatal collaborative care model services includes mental health symptom monitoring throughout pregnancy and the first year postpartum, talk-therapy, medication management, or accessing alternative support services (i.e. prenatal yoga, lactation consulting, and peer support groups).
How do we manage privacy concerns within the interdisciplinary team?
Each patient within the collaborative care model must have provided verbal consent. All health care professionals must be compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
What happens when a patient's symptoms are not improving adequately?
The Perinatal Collaborative Care Model utilizes measurement-based treatment. In the case in which a patient’s symptoms are not improving sufficiently, the care team will meet to discuss proper modifications to the care plan. The modifications can take place until the proper treatment is met that demonstrates progress in the patient’s symptoms. Patients may also be referred to an appropriate alternative provider that can manage the patient’s symptoms through medication, therapy, or both, or may be referred to additional community resources.
Does the obstetric provider manage medications for all patients?
With the support of the care manager and perinatal psychiatrist, and based on the patient's preferences, the obstetric provider may prescribe medication to patients as necessary.