The Medical Assistance (MA) bulletin on Mobile Mental Health Treatment (MMHT) Services was posted to the What’s New? section of the Office of Medical Assistance Programs web site November 21 with an effective date of November 1. Medical Assistance Bulletin 08-06-18, Mobile Mental Health Treatment, applies to both Fee-for-Service and HealthChoices providers. The bulletin authorizes each licensed psychiatric outpatient clinic enrolled in MA to be a provider of MMHT. Compliance with 55 PA Code §§ 1101, 1150, 1153, 5200, a service description developed by the clinic, and the individual’s treatment plan are required. The service description will be maintained on file with the clinic and reviewed during the first licensure visit after November 1. All services identified in the psychiatric outpatient clinic MA Program Fee Schedule with the exception of electroconvulsive therapy and electroencephalogram can be provided through MMHT. Face-to-face assessment can be conducted by a mental health professional with the supervision and signature of a psychiatrist before services are initiated and preferably within 72 hours of the assessment. Services are provided by a mental health professional or mental health worker acting within their scopes of practice.
Pages for insertion in the Provider Handbook for Psychiatric and Partial Hospitalization Services describe provider qualifications, compensable services and fee schedule, medical necessity criteria, documentation requirements, claims submission, and the need to include MMHT in quality assurance planning. The bulletin, fee schedule, and handbook pages are available for download from the links. Please contact Betty Simmonds with questions.
