Tag: Telemedicine
Medicare Solidifies Pay Cut
In a final rule that solidifies a nearly 3% Medicare pay cut for physicians in 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also set the trajectory for physician practices over the next year with a mixed bag of changes related to telemedicine, coding and payment, and the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), among others. ~By Phil West
While TMA analyzes what it sees as some isolated, positive changes resulting from CMS’ finalization of the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is also urging physicians to act now to show their support for House Resolution 10073
Feds Clarify HIPAA Enforcement When PHE Ends
New federal guidance clarifies that relaxed HIPAA enforcement will end at the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), while offering instruction on how physicians and others covered by HIPAA can continue to use remote communication technologies to provide audio-only telehealth services.
Back at the start of the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) said it would not “impose penalties for noncompliance with the regulatory requirements under the HIPAA Rules against covered health care providers in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.”
In the new guidance, OCR reiterated that this discretion remains in effect only until the HHS secretary determines the PHE no longer exists or when it expires, whichever occurs first. Congress previously granted a five-month extension for other COVID-related waivers following the conclusion of the PHE..
OCR issued the guidance in direct response to a December 2021 presidential executive order intended to help ensure patients can continue to benefit from audio-only telemedicine and telehealth services with protection of their personal health information.
The new guidance elaborates on types of technologies, business associate agreements with vendors, and ensuring HIPAA compliance when using audio-only technologies.
The Texas Medical Association has numerous resources designed to help physicians adopt and effectively use telemedicine. Visit TMA’s telemedicine page for more information.
Click on the blue highlighted text within the article for more information.
OR
Head to the Business End File and view articles on Telemedicine, and Telemedicine Policy, Procedure, and Form Templates
It Has to End Sometime. Doesn’t It?
What Will the End of the PHE Mean for Coverage?
The PHE has been extended 8 times since January 31st. We all have I fingers crossed that this is the last time. But there is a lot of uneasiness regarding the “WHAT IFs” of when it does.
To get some great insight check out this article from TMA.ED
Regarding New Telehealth Code
NOT ALL HEALTH PLANS ARE RECOGNIZING THE NEW TELEHEALTH CODE
TMA staff recommend you check with health plans directly to find out if they recognize the following:
- POS 10, a new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services code that corresponds to telehealth provided to patients at home, set to take effect on April 4.
- Modifier 93, an American Medical Association CPT code modifier now in effect that corresponds with a real-time medical service delivered by telephone or another audio-only technology.
Also not yet recognized by all health plans are the following Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System modifiers:
- Modifier FQ (furnished using audio-only communication technology);
- Modifier FR (supervising practitioner was present through two-way communication technology with both audio and video); and
- Modifier FT (unrelated evaluation and management during a postoperative period, or on the same day as a procedure or another evaluation and management visit).
TMA reimbursement specialists are keeping watch on insurers’ recognition of codes and modifiers. TMA’s Health Plan News page will post new developments as they emerge; for example, as noted on the Health Plan News page, Humana is recognizing modifier FQ.
Continue to read Texas Medicine Today for updates.
CPT copyright American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
Last Updated On January 20, 2022
UHC Waives Cost Sharing
UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is waiving cost sharing for Medicare Advantage plan members for primary care services through Dec. 31. This applies to in-network and covered out-of-network COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 visits, whether they are conducted in office or via telemedicine.
Regarding the Ever Changing Telemedicine Guidelines.
KZA Telehealth Solutions Center
An up-to-date, comprehensive resource regarding
the ever-changing telemedicine guidelines.
KarenZupko and Associates, Inc. has been around for a long time.
They have shared a link to their website for updates to telehealth on the MGMA Community.
Please note, they update materials as changes are made by CMS.
So check back often!
There is a very nice chart on Payor Telehealth Policies and
lots more.
Health Plans in Texas Have Adopted Various Temporary Deadlines and Extensions as Part of Their Coronavirus Policies, TMA 1/5/21
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Assisting the Elderly with Virtual Visit, How to Bill.
If your office assist a patient that does not have the technology to complete a virtual visit with another physician, while the patient is having an in patient visit at your office, can you bill?
Can I Get Paid for Helping a Patient with Virtual Visits 10/20/2020
[embeddoc url=”https://community.poetllc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Helping-a-patient-with-Virtual-Visits-10202020.pdf” download=”all” viewer=”google”]
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