Clinical Social Work Practice ALERT!!!   HELP PREVENT A PROPOSED 14 PERCENT FEE REDUCTION FOR CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS WHO ARE MEDICARE PROVIDERS   The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposal that would reduce Medicare reimbursement to certain health and mental health providers. Clinical Social Workers, clinical psychologists, anesthesiologists and chiropractors are among those hardest hit with proposed cuts.   Specifically, CMS is proposing that Clinical Social workers receive a 7 percent reduction in work values and a 2 percent reduction in Practice Expense values effective January 1, 2007.  An additional proposed 5 percent decrease in Practice Expense values is to occur by 2010.    We cannot allow this to proposal to go through!   NASW is responding to the proposed notice on the Physician Fee Schedule and is requesting YOUR assistance in sending comments. Volume of responses is significant to them. Comments are due by 5:00 PM August 21, 2006!    Tips for comments include: Inform CMS how a 14 percent reimbursement cut will affect your practice and you as a Medicare provider; Request that CMS not reduce work values by 7 % for clinical social workers effective January 1, 2007; Request CMS to withdraw the proposed increase in evaluation and management codes until they have the funds to increase reimbursement for all Medicare providers; and  Request that CMS not approve the proposed “Top down” formula to calculate practice expense.  Request they select a formula that does not create a negative impact for mental health providers.   Comments may be sent electronically or by mail and must be received by 5:00 p.m. EDT on August 21, 2006.  In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-1512-PN.  The addresses are: 1.                 Electronic: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/eRulemaking/ECCMSR/itemdetail.asp?filterType=non&filterByDID=0&sortByDID=3&sortOrder=ascending&itemID=CMS1184425  - Attachments should be in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or Excel.    2.                  Regular mail:  Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1512-PN,                         PO Box 8014, Baltimore, MD 21244-8014.   3.                  Express or Overnight Mail:  Department of Health and Human Services, Attention:              CMS-1512-PN, Mail Stop C4-16-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.   For more information on this topic please contact Mirean Coleman mcoleman@naswdc.org or Rebekah Gewirtz, Director of Governmental Affairs, at 617-226-9635 x12, or at Gewirtz@naswma.org.   Alert courtesy of DC Metro Chapter, NASW www.naswmetro.org DCMetroChapter@naswdc.org