BHBusiness: Mastering Essential Business Operations—Registration Open!

The Alcoholism Council of the Cincinnati Area began to bill Medicaid for the first time in spring 2013, and in less then four months had already collected nearly $85,000 in revenue. (See related story.)

The Children’s Home, also in Cincinnati, contracted with third-party payers for the first time and created a billing system—from scratch.

Northkey Community Care implemented a simple change and increased reimbursements from third-party payers in record time. (Read the full story.)

How did they do it? These three addiction treatment organizations were part of a Third-party Billing and Compliance Learning Network offered by BHBusiness: Mastering Essential Business Operations. BHBusiness offers four other learning networks: Strategic Business Planning, Third-party Contract Negotiations, Eligibility and Enrollment, and Meaningful Use of Healthcare Technology.

Funded by SAMHSA, BHBusiness is available at no charge to participants. The State Association of Addiction Services leads BHBusiness, in partnership with NIATx, the National Council, and Advocates for Human Potential.

The training initiative helps addiction treatment organizations build the business skills they need to navigate healthcare’s shifting financial landscape. The coursework, coaching, and peer networking aim to give providers of all sizes a boost in managing the changes that are already underway. (See related article in this issue, “Addiction treatment center’s progress in preparing for health care reform.”)

Taught by expert faculty from NIATx and the National Council, the BHBusiness Learning Networks combine online courses with small group and individual consultation, coaching, and peer networking.

Participants in the first round gave high marks to the learning format, which was created to accommodate the learning styles and schedules of busy professionals. “In this course, you could go at your own pace…and still be able to have online and phone conversations with others taking the course to gain new perspectives,” says Joanne M. Caswell, Executive Director of Families First in Essex County, New York.

There are two ways to apply to BHBusiness. A convener—a single state agency, state mental health agency, provider association, or an ATTC Network—can recruit a group of providers and coordinate the application for the group. Individual organizations may also apply and be placed in a network by the BHBusiness team.

Registration is now open for the next round of BHBusiness learning networks, with applications due October 30, 2013.  For more information, visit www.bhbusiness.org