These visits are billed using standard CPT codes that are accepted by Medicare for telehealth services. When billing: These services are covered for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) if the provider already has an established relationship with the patient.Medicare Telehealth Visits: When the therapist offers a virtual service where the provider cares for a patient over a live, synchronous video stream.When billing: These services require an established relationship between provider and patient.E-Visits: When a provider communicates and conducts synchronous or asynchronous assessments on a patient, typically through an online portal.We recommend reviewing the full Medicare Telemedicine fact sheet prior to submitting claims. You may also hear the term “communication technology-based services” or CTBS, which constitutes brief services conducted over different types of technology.Įach type of service will have different billing requirements that must be met to be covered by Medicare. “Virtual services” is the umbrella term CMS uses for remote visits. Medicare Telehealth Terminology and Billing Guidelinesįirst, let’s define the three types of virtual services Medicare covers. So, we’ve compiled this handy Medicare cheat sheet for outpatient rehab therapists, breaking down telehealth and communication technology-based service (CTBS) procedure codes.Ĭurious to learn more about Medicare Telehealth compliance? Check out this webinar with compliance expert Nancy Beckley. But knowing what remote services are covered by Medicare is critical to building a successful program. Additionally, many commercial payers have different requirements.įor physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists, telehealth and other virtual services can be an excellent adjunct to your practice. Please note that these regulations change often, and while we will do our best to stay current, we advise you to also reference the CMS’s Telehealth Services page for the most accurate information. For more information on the other types of virtual visits, CMS has put together a toolkit for primary care practices.Editor’s note: The information contained in this article is current as of May 2021 and is based on CMS regulations. The list of specific codes covered can be found here. Note: On March 30, CMS announced another broad expansion of telehealth capabilities, including audio-only telephones. The following algorithm, developed by James Dom Dera, MD, FAAFP, provides a quick way for physicians to tell these services apart and to assign proper codes for reimbursement.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |