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The California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board applauds the thousands of mental health providers who help victims of crime. We recognize the dedication that goes into working with victims. To this end, we are launching new efforts to engage in personal outreach to support crime victim providers. The Victim Compensation Program is now offering Provider Information Forums throughout California. Upon request, Program staff will come to your city to meet with your group of mental health providers, provide an overview of the Program, resolve issues and answer questions. To request a Provider Information Forum in your area, please contact contact Robin Foemmel Bie, Mental Health Section Manager at (916) 491-3759 or Robin.FoemmelBie@vcgcb.ca.gov.You may also contact Janice Patton, VCP Manager at 916-491-3521 or Janice.Patton@vcgcb.ca.gov or you can use the online request form.
Fast and efficient payments to providers of mental health services for crime victims is a top priority for the VCP. To this end, our claims management system continues to be refined to ensure an expedient turn around time on provider bill processing and payment. We appreciate the patience and understanding of the providers who may have experienced delays in payments in recent months while we have worked to incorporate some impressive state-of-the-art features that enable our system to provide quick and easy service to all of the valued providers who serve victims. One of these exciting features automatically identifies those bills that qualify for payment and moves them on to be paid through the State Controller’s Office within days of receipt. Currently in testing is an exciting enhancement that will allow providers to check bill status online. Much progress has been made in realizing our goal to ensure providers are well served by the VCP as they make their professional services available to crime victims.
While the online access to the VCP system is being refined and tested, providers can receive information on bill status by completing an Application and Bill Status Request Form. This form will help providers obtain expedited information about the status of multiple bills.
As yet another measure taken by the VCP to improve the efficiency of getting providers paid for their services, we are now asking that all provider bills be submitted on standard forms. Bills submitted by providers on the standard forms will ensure that the bills are processed as quickly as possible for payment through our automated claims system. Bills submitted on non-standard forms may experience unnecessary delays. We are therefore asking that all mental health providers submit their bills for services provided to crime victims on the standard Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 1500 form. This form can be downloaded from www.vcgcb.ca.gov.
To personally assist any mental health provider with issues relating to working with the VCP in helping crime victims, please contact Robin Foemmel Bie, Provider Ombudsman, who can answer any questions or address any concerns regarding provider payments. Robin can be reached at 916-491-3759 or at Robin.FoemmelBie@vcgcb.ca.gov.
Again, thank you to all of the mental health providers that serve victims of crime. You play a vital role in helping crime victims take back their lives. |
