Behavioral Health

Psychiatric CoCM is a whole health approach led by a primary care physician (PCP), a behavioral care manager, and others as needed. Treatment consists of therapy sessions, medication management, and care management to treat physical and mental health together.

Behavioral care managers (BCMs) are licensed mental health professionals such as social workers, counselors, or marriage and family therapists. They provide therapy and care management as well as coordinate care between you and your primary care provider.

The psychiatric consultant does not meet face-to-face with you. Instead, they meet with your primary care provider on a weekly basis to review cases as needed to provide medication recommendations and management. If the psychiatric consultant recommends medications and your PCP agrees, your PCP will be the one who writes the prescription.

Time in the program varies case by case. Generally, the typical length of treatment is around four to six months.

At the start of treatment, you can expect to meet with your BCM to develop your goals and treatment plan. Typically, a patient meets with their behavioral care manager every other week, though meetings could occur weekly or monthly as needed. As you progress through the program, your frequency and duration of sessions may change based on progress toward your goals. Types of therapy may include cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, and behavioral activation.

CoCM is ideal for treating mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety. It is also effective for treating stress, grief, life transitions, relationship issues, and healthy lifestyle changes, including sleep, smoking cessation, diet and exercise.

Cost depends on your insurance carrier and specific health plan, but in many cases there is a potential co-pay. Generally, co-pays for CoCM are similar to a co-pay for a PCP office visit. If there is a co-pay, it is only one payment per month, not per visit. The front desk staff at the primary care clinic can help determine if this service is covered, if there’s a co-pay and what that monthly co-pay would be. If there is a co-pay, it will be associated with the following CoCM billing codes: 99493, 99494, 99492.

Yes. The CoCM care team will work with you to determine the best course of treatment for your individual needs. In some cases, medications are not indicated or preferred, and therapeutic interventions are recommended separately.

These situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis based on insurance coverage. If you have an outside mental health therapist, you may still benefit from CoCM, specifically for medication management. Instead of traditional therapy, the BCM will coordinate care to help you reach any goals with medication as the recommended treatment approach.

These situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. If appropriate, the psychiatric consultant will not provide medication recommendations but can support the BCM with diagnostic clarification, psychosocial, care management and psychotherapy recommendations.