County objects to nearly $300,000 claim for mental health services
NORWICH – Chenango County owes the New York State Office of Mental Health nearly $300,000 according to the estimates of state bookkeepers. But local officials are rebuking that figure and plan to appeal the state’s claim.
According to the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), Chenango County received more than was due in medical reimbursement for outpatient services at the county’s community mental hygiene service center, located on East River Road in Norwich. State authorities say the local center received a surplus totaling $293,409 in comprehensive outpatient program services (COPS) between the years of 2006 and 2008.
COPS is a program which enables a provider of licensed mental health outpatient services to be eligible to receive supplemental medical assistance reimbursement - paid to providers through the Medicaid payment system - in exchange for the provision of enhanced outpatient service. The New York OMH sets a fiscal threshold for COPS every three years and if local outpatient service centers exceed that threshold, they must reimburse the state for the amount over.
Although county officials don’t deny being overpaid in COPS funding, they say the state’s estimates are too high. According to Tom Crounse, administrative services officer for the Chenango County Mental Health Outpatient Clinic, funding in the amount of $170,435 was set aside by county bookkeepers particularly for repayment to the COPS program. That amount, however, is a far reach from the state’s claim of nearly $300,000.
“We believe (the state) had a problem with reconciliation and that’s what may have led to a miscalculation on their part,” Crounse said, citing a number of other counties that are facing the same situation.
Crounse and Community Mental Hygiene Service Director Ruth Roberts went before the county’s Health and Human Services Committee with this information in July.
“In the years of 2006 to 2008, we were receiving less state aid and expenses were going up,” Roberts told committee members. “Any dollars that were left over (from COPS), we were probably using.”
Crounse also noted the state’s effort to restructure the health program in 2010, which changed COPS rates paid to municipalities with mental health clinics. “We know there was changes in rates in preparation for this clinic restructuring in 2010 and we did experience significant differences in payments for services,” he added. Even so ... “our books show that we owe $170,435 for the years of 2006-2008,” he said.
Local officials are currently in the process of putting an appeal together. If the state does not accept an appeal, the county would need to negotiate a repayment plan to pay back the nearly $130,000 owed.
Chenango County was in a similar situation in 2011 when the Community Mental Hygiene Service Center exceeded the reimbursement threshold for the years of 2003-2005. The county appealed then, too, Crounse said; but the appeal was not found in the county’s favor. Hopes are for a different outcome this time around, he added.
According to the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), Chenango County received more than was due in medical reimbursement for outpatient services at the county’s community mental hygiene service center, located on East River Road in Norwich. State authorities say the local center received a surplus totaling $293,409 in comprehensive outpatient program services (COPS) between the years of 2006 and 2008.
COPS is a program which enables a provider of licensed mental health outpatient services to be eligible to receive supplemental medical assistance reimbursement - paid to providers through the Medicaid payment system - in exchange for the provision of enhanced outpatient service. The New York OMH sets a fiscal threshold for COPS every three years and if local outpatient service centers exceed that threshold, they must reimburse the state for the amount over.
Although county officials don’t deny being overpaid in COPS funding, they say the state’s estimates are too high. According to Tom Crounse, administrative services officer for the Chenango County Mental Health Outpatient Clinic, funding in the amount of $170,435 was set aside by county bookkeepers particularly for repayment to the COPS program. That amount, however, is a far reach from the state’s claim of nearly $300,000.
“We believe (the state) had a problem with reconciliation and that’s what may have led to a miscalculation on their part,” Crounse said, citing a number of other counties that are facing the same situation.
Crounse and Community Mental Hygiene Service Director Ruth Roberts went before the county’s Health and Human Services Committee with this information in July.
“In the years of 2006 to 2008, we were receiving less state aid and expenses were going up,” Roberts told committee members. “Any dollars that were left over (from COPS), we were probably using.”
Crounse also noted the state’s effort to restructure the health program in 2010, which changed COPS rates paid to municipalities with mental health clinics. “We know there was changes in rates in preparation for this clinic restructuring in 2010 and we did experience significant differences in payments for services,” he added. Even so ... “our books show that we owe $170,435 for the years of 2006-2008,” he said.
Local officials are currently in the process of putting an appeal together. If the state does not accept an appeal, the county would need to negotiate a repayment plan to pay back the nearly $130,000 owed.
Chenango County was in a similar situation in 2011 when the Community Mental Hygiene Service Center exceeded the reimbursement threshold for the years of 2003-2005. The county appealed then, too, Crounse said; but the appeal was not found in the county’s favor. Hopes are for a different outcome this time around, he added.
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