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MHS Health has expanded the $10 incentive for tobacco cessation counseling to behavioral health providers

Date: 02/19/19

Dear MHS Health Wisconsin Network Provider:

Thank you for partnering with MHS Health Wisconsin. We want to support you in your efforts to help your patients quit smoking. A significant number of our members use tobacco products. In fact, smoking is 50 percent more prevalent among adult Medicaid members as compared to the general population.

MHS Health Wisconsin will pay for the following Tobacco Counseling Codes in addition to the codes you currently bill for services:

•99406 –Tobacco cessation counseling visit: intermediate, greater than 3 minutes up to 10 minutes MHS Health will pay $32.69.

•99407—Tobacco cessation counseling visit: intensive, greater than 10 minutes

MHS Health will pay $42.69.

Please note that one of the following ICD-10 codes must be billed in the 1st- 4th position on the claim to be reimbursed for codes 99406 or 99407:

ICD-10-CM F17200, F17201, F17203, F17208, F17209, F17210, F17211, F17213, F17218, F17219, F17220, F17221, F17223, F17228, F17229, F17290, F17291, F17293, F17298, F17299, Z716, Z720.

Did you know:

  • Members who are not ready to quit will still benefit from your intervention. In fact, studies show that even brief provider interventions (4-10 minutes) can help motivate smokers to quit.
         
  • Individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis consume 45% of the cigarettes in the U.S.  
         
  • More than half of patients with other addictions smoke. Studies show they’re 25% more likely to quit these addictions if they also break their addiction to tobacco.

Research shows behavioral health symptoms improve after quitting smoking—including levels of anxiety, stress and depression.

You can earn six Continuing Education credits by taking this free online training that focuses on how to help people with behavioral health challenges quit smoking: https://ctri.wisc.edu/providers/behavioral-health.

Medicaid covers nicotine gum, patches, inhalers and sprays, bupropion SR (Zyban), and Chantix. Members that are ready to make a quit attempt can be referred to the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line and receive free nicotine replacement therapy, written information and counseling. Call the Wisconsin Tobacco QUIT LINE at 800-QUIT-NOW.

Thank you for helping us to transform the health of the community one person at a time. If you have questions, please call Provider Services at 800-222-9831.