Tips and Tools for Social Workers

The Medicare annual coordinated election period, also known as the open enrollment period (OEP), opened on October 15 and ends on December 7. During this time, people who are already enrolled in Medicare can review, compare, and modify their coverage options. Changes made during the 2024 OEP affect coverage between January 1 and December 31, 2025.

Effective October 1, 2024, clinical social workers were impacted by several code changes to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). Clinical social workers should pay attention to Chapter 5, Mental, Behavioral, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Six new codes have been added to mental health disorders: four are for eating disorders and two are for adults. 

Effective January 1, 2025, clinical social workers may receive reimbursement for services using a digital mental health treatment (DMHT) device. The device is a software approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat a mental health condition in conjunction with ongoing mental health treatment that includes a plan of care.

To secure coverage for January 1st 2025, enrollment must be completed by December 15th 2024. If individuals enroll after December 15th, coverage will begin on February 1st 2025.

On October 15, 2024, The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) met with Optum leadership to follow up on the second wave of overpayment recovery which occurred in August 2024 and to discuss issues impacting clinical social workers (CSWs) who seek reimbursement from Optum.

The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (PAARI) invited The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to review their Best Practices for Embedding a Social Worker in Your Police Department guide. Given the increasing interest in the integration of social workers into law enforcement, embedded social workers who are currently working in police departments or who aspire to work in the police department can use this document as a reference.