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Q&A
Billing for B-HEARD services and related medical care
2:14:52
·
117 sec
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse inquires about billing practices for B-HEARD services, particularly if emergency medical care or ambulance services are deemed necessary. Jason Hansman from NYC Health and Hospitals provides information on the billing policy.
- The initial interaction with the two EMTs and the social worker from B-HEARD is not billed to the patient
- This initial response is fully covered by the city
- The question of billing for subsequent medical care or ambulance services is not directly addressed in this exchange
Mercedes Narcisse
2:14:52
So the reason I'm I'm doing that is because when somebody have a mental health crisis, we don't have to go to all the loophole of all the other heart problem and you know specifically, that person have a mental health, and we want the mental health team to reach that person.
2:15:08
And I feel that we're not doing enough to promote the 988 to let people know that this is the help that they can get.
2:15:17
Instead of going to that triage process.
2:15:19
I'm a registered nurse and triage nurse as well.
2:15:21
So that's the reason I get to that point because we have to differentiate mental health to from physical health to make sure to get the services in a faster way.
2:15:31
Because when somebody go into a crisis, I understand heart.
2:15:34
I understand that because I'm a ER nurse, but I'm saying, like, mental health doesn't have to go to all the loops that we're going through.
2:15:43
One of quick question that I have.
2:15:45
I finished the script there.
2:15:50
If a be heard response team is dispatched to an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, is the individual billed for the be heard services if the response team deems is necessary to provide emergency medical care or call an ambulance.
2:16:10
Will the individual be billed for such care?
2:16:14
Will they notify if the cause prior to actions being taken, that would result in a medical bill.
Jason Hansman
2:16:23
So I'll talk about the the be heard response itself.
2:16:26
So the the 2 EMTs and the the social worker responding to you know, patient in in the community.
2:16:34
That interaction, that interaction with the the 2 EMTs and with the the social worker, that is not built.
2:16:41
Right now, that that is fully covered by the city.
2:16:45
And is not part of what the patient would be would be billed for.