Medical Billing Blog

Telehealth - Key Changes

Posted by Scott Shatzman on Mon, Mar, 23, 2020 @ 10:03 AM

Image result for telemedicine cartoon

 

Telehealth – Key Changes  

No Place of Service restrictions – Patients at home are now eligible for Telehealth Services 

HIPAA restrictions waived – Providers can use cellphones, Facetime, or Skype 

Established Relationship Requirement Waived – New and Established Patients are eligible for Telehealth Services 

Medicare will Pay Telehealth Services (POS: 02) at the facility payment rate (lower than POS:11) 

CMS/OIG allowing providers to reduce or waive copays and deductibles for services 

Telehealth services are NOT limited to services related to COVID‐19 

Telephone Visits (audio only) are CPT: 99441, 99442 and 99443 

***While the above information pertains to Medicare/Medicaid only, the administration has “called” on all insurance companies to expand and clarify their policies around telehealth. As of this afternoon, we have no concrete answers as to which insurances companies are going to comply and if so, what restrictions and requirements they might have.   If your practice decides to offer telehealth services, we STRONGLY suggest that you notify your patients that services  might not be covered and that the financial responsibility would therefore fall on the patient. We also suggest having  your patients sign an waiver of liability.***