Sheyla44
Contributor
Due to the PHE ending on 5/11/2023- Providers and staff are asking if telehealth no longer going to be covered by payers? Please advise.
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Wiki COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ending 5/11/2023- Does this mean telehealth is no longer available?
- Thread starter Sheyla44
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jkyles
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Hi there, I'm just answering based on what is happening for Medicare Part B, please check with your private payers for their policies:
1. Practices can continue to offer designated telehealth services to their patients, including telephone E/M visits, through the end of 2024. Geographic and place of service waivers will also remain in place so patients can be in an urban area and receive telehealth from their home. You can read about the waiver extensions here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-s...tion-forward-covid-19-public-health-emergency.
BUT
2.Telehealth services must be provided through HIPAA-compliant connections, including the telephone services. The OCR did not extend its "enforcement discretion" that currently allows providers to use some connections that are not HIPAA-compliant.UPDATE: HHS EXTENDED THE ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION UNTIL AUGUST. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/04/11/hhs-office-for-civil-rights-announces-expiration-covid-19-public-health-emergency-hipaa-notifications-enforcement-discretion.html
Edit: Here's another source www.cms.gov/files/document/physicians-and-other-clinicians-cms-flexibilities-fight-covid-19.pdf that does a better job of detailing the waivers that will and will not be in place after May 11.
1. Practices can continue to offer designated telehealth services to their patients, including telephone E/M visits, through the end of 2024. Geographic and place of service waivers will also remain in place so patients can be in an urban area and receive telehealth from their home. You can read about the waiver extensions here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-s...tion-forward-covid-19-public-health-emergency.
BUT
2.
Edit: Here's another source www.cms.gov/files/document/physicians-and-other-clinicians-cms-flexibilities-fight-covid-19.pdf that does a better job of detailing the waivers that will and will not be in place after May 11.
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