Behavioral health providers face unique industry challenges. Even with the passage of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, low reimbursement rates and limitations on coverage continue. A shortage of behavioral health providers continues to grow which leads to increasing staffing demands, particularly in rural areas. As the need for these services increases and the urgency surrounding behavioral health and addiction continues to grow, the behavioral health industry is evolving at a rapid pace. In addition, technological innovations continue to expand within healthcare in an effort to increase access to behavioral health services, making telepsychiatry or telemental health an area of focus for many healthcare providers. The changes that are designed to bridge gaps in the behavioral health area introduce an array of opportunities, but also legal risks for behavioral health providers. Consolidation, affiliations and partnerships in behavioral health continue to grow as providers adapt to meet service needs. Hancock Daniel’s Behavioral Health Practice Team is prepared to assist with these challenges while helping to advance the goals of behavioral health providers. From matters of affiliations, consolidations, licensure, certification, and compliance to the intricacies of telemental health and electronic health records, Hancock Daniel partners with behavioral healthcare providers to support and advance their legal needs.
Behavioral Health Services:
- Changes of ownership, acquisitions, mergers and consolidations
- Regulatory support in the planning and development of behavioral health services
- Licensure and certification of new providers/suppliers and/or service lines
- Behavioral health integration for population health strategies
- Medicare approval of IPPS excluded psychiatric distinct part units (DPUs)
- 42 CFR Part 2 expertise
- Risk management for behavioral health
- HIPAA/HITECH compliance assessments, breach analysis and breach notifications
- EMTALA behavioral health issues and surveys
- Telepsychiatry
- State licensure requirements and surveys
- Behavioral health reimbursement
- Opioid legislation
- Issues related to substance abuse treatment
- Behavioral health clinician scope of practice
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