Effects of the new occupational therapy tariff 338 on everyday practice

Effects of the new occupational therapy tariff 338 on everyday practice

What does the new tariff 338 mean for occupational therapy?

The collective agreement between EVS / SRK and the Medical Tariff Commission MTK will be renewed as of 01.03.2019. The new collective agreement also creates a new tariff: Tariff 338, which only applies to occupational therapy services covered by accident, disability and military insurance. The current health insurer tariff 325 remains in place. As a result, occupational therapy practices must now bill for their services using two different tariff systems.

How is tariff 338 structured?

The new tariff 338 consists of a total of 23 tariff numbers. It should be noted that the 6 benefit and 2 contract items must now be entered every 5 minutes. The new tariff is as follows:

• 6 benefit items for treatment measures (3101 — 3106)
• 2 supplement items for simultaneous treatment by two occupational therapists (3121 — 3122)
• 2 report items for reports required by the cost unit (3131 — 3132)
• 1 travel compensation item for the outbound and return journey (3141)
• 1 position for occupational therapy devices (3201)
• 3 positions for rails and rail and upholstery material (3211 — 3213)
• 5 positions for tape and bandages (3231; 3241 — 3244)
• 3 positions for renting therapeutic equipment (3261 — 3263)

What changes does tariff 338 entail?

• With the introduction of tariff 338, a new regulation form comes into force, which is accepted by all health insurance companies and social security funds.
• The first series of UV/IV treatments is free of charge. Therefore, the doctor's prescription is submitted together with the invoice only at the end of the treatment series.
• Written reports will only be reimbursed at the request of insurance companies.
• There are no longer mileage costs for home treatment. Instead, travel time (public transport, bike, on foot) can be recorded using the travel time allowance. The travel time must be calculated via www.search.ch.
• For quality assurance (GAS project), 5 more cases must be submitted. These may now consist of CT, UV or IV treatments.

How is the changeover to tariff 338 carried out?

To ensure a smooth transition from the old to the new tariff structure, occupational therapists must bill for all treatments as of February 28, 2019 according to the old tariff and bill payers. The continuation of the treatment series under tariff 338 from March 1, 2019 requires neither a new regulation nor a new cost credit.

Do occupational therapy services now have to be billed electronically?

No, the electronic benefit statement is not mandatory. Cost credits and invoices can still be sent to payers by post. However, it is foreseeable that insurers will introduce electronic benefit accounting in a few years

How does an occupational therapy practice get ready for the future?

There are currently three important trends that will increasingly influence the daily work of occupational therapists in the future:

1. Increasing regulatory density: With the introduction of a two-tariff system, this trend in occupational therapy is already becoming a fact from March 1, 2019.

2. Digitalization pressure: As a result of the planned introduction of electronic benefit accounting, occupational therapy will also be affected in a few years.

3. Protection of patient data: There are currently no binding requirements from the legislator. But here too, it is only a matter of time before occupational therapists must particularly protect sensitive patient data.

In order to meet the upcoming developments in occupational therapy, it is worthwhile switching to professional administration software. The selected software solution should meet the above requirements and also meet the practical requirements. If you want to be on the safe side, opt for a web solution that is operated in the cloud. This guarantees a modern software architecture, the use of software regardless of location and device, high security standards and a balanced price-performance ratio. In addition, you don't have to deal with software updates and maintenance, as these costs are included in the price.