Legislative fix proposed to pay EI service providers

By KELLY FAY

The bureau that oversees the state Early Intervention Program said at an Assembly hearing last week problems with the reimbursement system for care providers are being solved, and asked no new legislation be established to change the current system.

Despite claims from service providers that a new payment program included in the 2012-2013 budget has failed, Bradley Hutton, director of the Center for Community Health of the state Health Department said many aspects of the new system have been a success.

"The [Department of Health] and Department of Financial Services have worked tirelessly with providers and insurers to address these challenges and fortunately have seen much improvement in the last few months," Hutton said at the public hearing discussing the system's effectiveness. "Under the new system, on average, providers have been paid for 87 percent of all claims submitted from April 1 through October 20."

However, providers of Early Intervention therapies and some lawmakers disagree. The new reimbursement system was implemented in April and was intended to reduce the administrative burden on counties by removing them of their duty of paying providers and filing claims with insurance companies.

Read more at http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2013-10-28-85616.113122-Legislative-fix-proposed-to-pay-EI-service-providers.html