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Medicaid’s emergency telehealth policy will allow additional use of telehealth services to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Details of enhanced services include the following:
Improved access for beneficiaries
- A beneficiary may seek telehealth:
- From the beneficiary’s home with no telepresence present
- From an originating site approved in the state plan with a telepresence present
- From a temporarily approved originating site as a telepresence present
- A beneficiary may use his or her cellular device, computer, tablet, or another web camera-enabled device to seek and receive medical care in a synchronous format with a Medicaid approved distant-site provider.
- Telehealth services do not include service delivery through text messages, email, a web portal, or other formats that do not include audio and/or visual components.
Requirements for the provision of temporary telehealth services
Temporary telehealth services provided during this period must meet the following criteria:
- The service rendered from the distant site must be safe and medically appropriate for delivery in the originating site.
- Any services provided through telehealth must meet the same standard of care as if provided in person.
- The beneficiary must give either verbal or written consent to receive telehealth services. Providers must document this consent.
- Providers may only bill:
- Procedure codes that they are already eligible to bill
- The temporary telehealth procedure codes
- Services not otherwise covered by the Division of Medicaid are not covered when delivered via telehealth.
- The availability of services through telehealth does not alter the scope of practice of any health care provider, nor does it authorize the delivery of health care services in a setting or manner not otherwise authorized by law.
- The GT Modifier should be used in addition to service/program required modifiers and is not intended to take the place of other modifiers.