Rick Barnett Honored by Division 55
Dr. Rick Barnett Honored by Division 55
VPA Board President Featured on Website
VPA Board President Barbara Colombo, Ph.D. was recently interviewed for a blog on the Fielding Graduate University website. You can read that interview here. Dr. Colombo, a native of Milan, Italy, has done an impressive amount of research and publishing in addition to her academic and clinical work. We are fortunate to have her guidance and help on the VPA Board of Directors.
Medicaid and the Change Healthcare cybersecurity incident
DVHA has come up a final solution to the issue of providers getting no—or delayed—reimbursement due to the Change Healthcare cybersecurity incident earlier this year. You can read about what DVHA is going to do here: https://humanservices.vermont.gov/sites/ahsnew/files/documents/24-029-F-GCR-Change-Healthcare-Response.pdf
In short, DVHA (Vermont Medicaid) made payments to impacted providers based on
historical average claims. For the period February 21, 2024, through
June 30, 2024, Medicaid providers were eligible to receive payment “in amounts representative of up to 7 days of claims payments for Medicaid services” that were not otherwise paid because of the Change Healthcare cybersecurity incident. You can find more information about the payment provisions at the link sent by DVHA: https://humanservices.vermont.gov/sites/ahsnew/files/documents/24-029-Att-4.19-Introduction-draft.pdf
Progress on PSYPACT
VPA has been advocating for the passage of PSYPACT, Vermont H.282, for some time. Great news! PSYPACT passed through the House Health Committee and has now gone to the House Ways and Means Committee. Here is written testimony from the Office of Professional Regulation from March 16, 2023, reporting on the Board of Psychological Examiners’ support for PSYPACT. We are hopeful this bill will pass through the House this session and complete its journey through the Senate in 2024. Here is where you can get more info on H.282.
As of this date, PSYPACT has been enacted and is effective in 34 states; 2 additional states have enacted PSYPACT but it is not yet effective in those states. You can see a map of states that have enacted PSYPACT here. If you support the passage of PSYPACT, please write your legislators and ask them to co-sponsor or at least support passage of this important legislation!
Medicare: Recent Changes
A number of changes to Medicare were passed in late 2022, including an expansion of the providers who can be reimbursed, an extension of telehealth waivers, and a new conversion factor. You can see an easy-to-read summary of these changes written by APA staff here.
Dr. Rick Barnett, VPA Legislative Committee Chair and long-term VPA member received the 2026 award for Distinguished Contribution to the Advancement of Pharmacotherapy at the State Level from the APA Division 55, Society for Prescribing Psychology for his efforts in advocating for passage of legislation to allow psychologists-doctorates with advanced training to prescribe psychotropic medications in Vermont.
Dr. Barnett led that 10-year advocacy effort with the full backing of the Vermont Psychological Association and we could not be more thrilled that his success and effort has been recognized nationally. Dr. Barnett recently explained the drive behind seeking prescriptive authority for psychologists:
“There is still a good deal of misunderstanding about what it means to be a ‘prescribing psychologist.’ . . . . The goal isn’t simply to prescribe medication. It is to bring the depth and perspective of psychology together with the science of medicine so that we can help patients make thoughtful, informed decisions about when medication may help, when it may not, and when it may no longer be needed.”
We look forward to seeing the legislation in Vermont implemented and creating a new generation of prescribing psychologists.
Dr. Barnett is also scheduled to be the keynote speaker on clinical psychopharmacology at the American Academy of Clinical Psychology’s 2026 Leadership Summit in October 2026.