In a victory to increase access to effective mental health care for patients, payment for services delivered under the collaborative care model (CoCM) will rise significantly under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services final 2027 Physician Fee Schedule.Why It’s Relevant
Collaborative care—in which a primary care team works with a consulting psychiatrist and a behavioral health care manager—is an evidence-based model for efficiently managing common psychiatric illnesses such as depression in primary care settings. Yet despite its proven success, the CoCM remains underused. Operational challenges in setting up this team-based approach are one hurdle, but so is inadequate payment for the various services and decision-making required.
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On December 1, noon ET, APA will host an advocacy update to discuss key Medicare policy changes—including updates on payment and coverage of services—that will affect psychiatric practice starting in 2027. This webinar will also provide the latest information on telehealth and teleprescribing of controlled substances.
Takeaway Message
APA has rigorously advocated for better CoCM reimbursement and applauded these upward adjustments. “Collaborative care extends the reach of psychiatrists’ expertise by making psychiatric consultation part of the primary care team’s ongoing work,” APA President Mark Rapaport, M.D., said in a press release. “Stronger payment helps sustain that partnership and the follow-up patients need to get better.”
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