The new intensive obesity therapy coverage is a "terrific benefit," said Dr. Newman. If a patient has a body mass index of more than 30, the physician can see the patient weekly for the first month, then biweekly for months 2-6, and monthly after that, out to a year. "This is a real advance," she said.
Finally, there is the health risk assessment, which is used to collect self-reported information about the beneficiary. The process takes no more than 20 minutes. It overlaps with some of the assessments conducted during the wellness visit, but is still required.
Dr. Newman said she uses an assessment tool that was developed by the ACP. Patients receive the tool at the front desk when they come in for a visit.
The important thing to understand about this assessment is "you don’t have to fix the problems today," said Dr. Newman. You can bring patients] back to work on components or hand off the patients to a nurse or a social worker, she said.
Also, the assessment does not have to be done completely and perfectly in 2012. The CMS has said it will allow for some variation in content for the time being and physicians will still be reimbursed for conducting the assessment.