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CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK 

Revised March 2013

Below are practice and policy resources for clinical social workers to help them develop and maintain an effective clinical practice. Information is listed under categories such as billing codes, documentation, practice, reimbursement, and standards.

BILLING CODES

• DSM-5 is Coming (5/10/2013)
• New Psychotherapy Codes for Clinical Social Workers (11/27/2012)
• Major Changes in 2013 For Clinical Social Workers (9/11/2012)
• Completing the RUC Survey Instrument for Psychotherapy Services [PDF] (2/27/2012)
• 2012 Psychotherapy Survey is Coming: Clinical Social Workers Wanted (2/10/2012)
• DSM-5 Sign-On Letter (1/20/2012)
• Results of 2010 Psychotherapy Survey (pdf format | 7/28/2011)
• Compelling Evidence Needed to Increase the Work and Practice Expense Values of Psychoanalysis (7/11/11) 
• Clinical Social Workers Needed for DSM-V Field Trials (1/31/2011)
• Psychotherapy Survey is Coming: Participation is Important! (3/11/2010)
• DMS-V is Available for Public Comments (2/28/2010)
• Results of Request for Compelling Evidence to Increase Psychotherapy CPT Codes (2/3/2010)
• Clinical Social Workers Be Aware: The ICD–10–CM is Coming! (revised 3/21/13)
• Evidence for Increasing Psychotherapy Fees (1/23/2009)
• New 2008 CPT Codes Available for Use by Clinical Social Workers. 2008.
• Health and Behavior Assessment CPT Codes. 2003.
• Individual CPT Psychotherapy Codes Used by Clinical Social Workers. 2001.
• New Health and Behavior Assessment CPT Codes for Use by Clinical Social Workers. 2002.
For later archive
• Non-Time Valued CPT Codes Used by Clinical Social Workers.  2001.
• Place of Service Codes for Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice. 2004.
• New Psychological Testing Codes. 2006.
• HIPAA
  • HIPAA Electronic Codes for Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice
  • HIPAA Electronic Transaction Standards, Code Sets, and the Clinical Social Worker.

DOCUMENTATION

• Leadership Ladder Series
  Documenting for Medicare - Tips for Clinical Social Workers (pdf format | May 2012)
• Documenting Patient Care in the Private Practice Setting. 2002. (You must be a member of the NASW Private Practice Specialty Practice Section in order to access the file.)
• Psychotherapy Notes and Reimbursement Claims. 2005.

HIPAA

• HIPAA Electronic Codes for Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice. 2003.
• HIPAA Electronic Standards for Private Practitioners. 2003.
• HIPAA Electronic Transactions Standards, Code Sets, and the Clinical Social Worker. 2002.
• See Reimbursement – Medicare Ends Contingency Plan for Non-HIPAA Compliant Reimbursement Claims. 2005.

MANAGED CARE

• Practice Perspective
  Clinical Social Workers and 5010, Frequently Asked Questions (pdf format | 12/8/2011)
• Practice Perspective
  Clinical Social Workers Be Aware: 5010 is Coming (10/24/2011)
• Managed Care Companies With Provider Panels for Clinical Social Workers. (Revised 2011)
• Practice Perspective
  Opting Out of Medicare as a Clinical Social Worker (pdf format | 7/28/2011)
• HOT TOPIC OF THE MONTH - April 2011 Clinical Social Workers Care Advocates and Life Coaches: Who Does What?
• Enrolling in Mediacare as a Clinical Social Work Provider pdf 2010
• Becoming a State Medicaid Provider. 2004
• Magellan Behavioral Health Care Update. 2003.
• Magellan Exits Bankruptcy. 2003.
• The Secret Shopper. 200.

MARKETING

• Marketing and the Private Practitioner. 2009. http://www.socialworkers.org/sections. (You must be a member of the NASW Private Practice Specialty Practice Section in order to access the file.)

MEASUREMENT

• Practice Perspective
  Reporting PQRS Measures for Medicare in 2013 (3/18/2013)
• Dementia Measures Available for Public Comment (11/2010)
• 2009 Medicare Bonus Incentive Program for Clinical Social Workers (2009)
• Urgent Input Needed for New Care Transitions Measures. 2009.
• Urgent Need For Clinical Social Workers And Agencies Who Are Medicare Providers. 2008.
• Measures For Substance Use Disorders Available For Comment By Clinical Social Workers And Other Providers. 2008.
• 2007 Medicare Bonus Incentive Program for Clinical Social Workers. 2007.
  
• Comments Requested From Clinical Social Workers on 2009 Quality Measures. 2008.
• 2008 Medicare Bonus Incentive Program for Clinical Social Workers. 2008

NATIONAL PROVIDER IDENTIFIER

• National Provider Identifier Updates for Clinical Social Workers. 2007.
• Deadline Approaching for NPI. 2006.
• National Provider Identifier. 2005.
• The National Provider Identifier and the Clinical Social Worker. 2004.

PRACTICE

• Tools and Techniques: Ten Start-Up Tips for a Private Practice
• NASW Requests Your Input on Draft Best Practice Standards in Social Work Supervision (8/20/2012)
  The public comment period for the Best Practice Standards in Social Work Supervision is now closed. The supervision standards will be published in early 2013. Thank you for your comments
• Leadership Ladder: Retiring? Tips for Closing Your Private Practice (2/7/2012)
• Leadership Ladder: Risk Management in Clinical Practice (January 2012)
• Compelling Evidence Needed to Increase the Work and Practice Expense Values of Psychoanalysis (7/11/2011)
• Practice Perspectives: Advocating for Clinical Social Workers: Highlights of 2010 (March 2011)
• Opening a New Private Practice (Feb 2011)
• When A Clinical Social Worker in Solo or Group Practice Dies
• Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice: A Reference Guide. 2005.
  http://www.naswpress.org
• Retiring or Closing a Private Practice: Tips to Help You Along the Way. 2003.
  http://www.naswpress.org.
• Starting a Private Practice: Most Frequently Asked Questions by NASW Members.  (2003)
• Supervision and the Clinical Social Worker. (pdf) 2003.
• Minimizing Practice Risks With Suicidal Patients. 2002. 

PRIVATE PRACTICE OFFICE BROCHURE

• Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice: Caring, Compassionate, Competent.
  http://www.naswpress.org.

REIMBURSEMENT

• Medicare’s Sustainable Growth Rate Averted (1/14/2013)
• Practice Perspectives: 2013 Medicare Updates for Clinical Social Workers (12/18/2012)
• Practice Perspectives: 2012 Medicare Updates for Clinical Social Workers (7/27/2012)
• Practice Perspectives: Advocating for Clinical Social Workers: Highlights of 2010 (3/15/2011)
• Practice Perspectives: 2011 Medicare Changes for Clinical Social Workers (3/15/2011)
• Part Ii: Advocating For Change in Home Health Care (7/6/2010)
• 2010 Medicare Changes For Clinical Social Workers (2010)
• Advocating for Change in Home Health Care (2009)
• Medicare-Mandated Reportable Changes for Clinical Social Workers in Solo or Group Practice (2009 pdf)
• Revised 2008 Medicare Fee Schedule for Clinical Social Workers (2008)
• Have you Been Selected to Participate in the Clinical Social Work Practice Information Survey 2008.
• NASW Conducts Practice Information Survey . 2008.
• 2008 Medicare Payment for Clinical Social Workers. 2008.
• 2007 Medicare Payment for Clinical Social Workers. 2007.
• 2006 Revised Medicare Reimbursement For Clinical Social Workers. 2006.
• 2005 Medicare Pay Increase for Clinical Social Workers. 2005.
• Medicare 2004 Pay Increase For Clinical Social Workers. 2004.
• Help Prevent a Medicare Proposed 14 Percent Fee Reduction For Clinical Social Workers Who Are Medicare Providers. 2006.
• NASW’s Response to Medicare’s Proposed 14 Percent Fee Reduction for Clinical Social Workers who are Medicare Providers. 2006.
• New Deadline Announced for CMS-1500 Form.  2007.
• Delayed Implementation Date For Revised Cms-1500 Form. 2007.
• Implementation  Plans For The Revised CMS-1500 Form Announced . 2006
• Revised CMS-1500 Claim Form Coming.  2006.
• Filing A Paper or Electronic Claim In Private Practice. 2004.
• How Reimbursement Rates are Developed for Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice.  2003. 
• Medicare Overpayment Requests for Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice . 2006.
• Medicare Ends Contingency Plan for Non-HIPAA Compliant Reimbursement Claims. 2005.
• Medicare Part B Payment for Clinical Social Workers in Private Practice . 2003.
• Medicare Update for Clinical Social Workers. 2003.
• The Oxford Audit and Clinical Social Workers. 2003.
• Third-Party Reimbursement for Clinical Social Work Services  (2008)

STANDARDS

• Best Practice Standards in Social Work Supervision. 2013.
• NASW Standards for Clinical Social Work in Social Work Practice. 2005.
  
• NASW and ASWB Standards for Technology and Social Work Practice. 2005.
  
• NASW Standards for Clients with Substance Abuse Disorders. 2005.

TECHNOLOGY

• Online Therapy and the Clinical Social Worker. 2000.
• Using Technology in the Practice of Clinical Social Work. 2002.
• Medicare Telehealth Provisions for the Clinical Social Worker. 2002.
• See Standards – NASW and ASWB Standards for Technology and Social Work Practice.