Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) FAQs

What's the difference between CoCM and general BHI?

Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) and general Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) are both approaches to integrating behavioral health into primary care, but they differ in several key ways:

• Team Structure: CoCM requires a specific team including a primary care provider, behavioral health care manager, and psychiatric consultant. General BHI is more flexible in team composition.
• Measurement-Based Care: CoCM requires the use of validated clinical rating scales (like PHQ-9, GAD-7). General BHI encourages but doesn't require standardized measures.
• Psychiatric Consultation: CoCM requires regular case review with a psychiatric consultant. General BHI doesn't require this specific consultation.
• Billing Codes: CoCM uses specific codes (99492, 99493, 99494), while general BHI uses code 99484.
• Reimbursement: CoCM typically has higher reimbursement rates than general BHI.

Mahalo's platform supports both CoCM and general BHI workflows, allowing practices to choose the model that best fits their resources and patient needs.

Which model should our practice implement?

The choice between CoCM and general BHI depends on several factors:

• Available Resources: CoCM requires access to a psychiatric consultant and behavioral health care manager. If these resources are limited, general BHI may be more feasible.
• Patient Population: CoCM has stronger evidence for treating depression and anxiety. If these conditions are prevalent in your patient population, CoCM may be more effective.
• Practice Size: Larger practices may find it easier to implement the full CoCM model, while smaller practices might start with general BHI.
• Reimbursement Goals: CoCM offers higher reimbursement rates but requires more resources. General BHI has lower reimbursement but fewer requirements.
• Implementation Timeline: General BHI can often be implemented more quickly than CoCM.

Mahalo's platform is designed to support both models, and we can help you transition from general BHI to CoCM as your practice grows and resources become available.

Can we bill for both CoCM and general BHI for the same patient?

No, you cannot bill for both CoCM and general BHI services for the same patient in the same month. You must choose one model for each patient. However, you can have some patients enrolled in CoCM and others in general BHI within your practice. Mahalo's platform helps you track which patients are enrolled in which program to prevent billing errors.