Your practice may have been new to the Telehealth arena in 2020, but now many providers find it to be the preferred service by their patients. While there was a rocky start in March 2020 with documentation requirements changing every day, the process since has become more streamlined and easier to follow. In the new year of 2021, there have only been a few changes.
CMS continues to allow the following services to be provided via telehealth:
- Radiation treatment management.
- 96130-96133; 96136-96139. Psychology & neuropsychological testing.
- 97161-97168; 97110, 97112, 97116, 97535, 97750, 97755, 97760, 97761, 92521-92524, 92507. PT/OT services.
- 99217-99220; 99224-99226; 99234-99236. Observation.
- 99221-99223; 99238-99239. Inpatient hospital care.
- 99237-99238; 99334-99337. Domiciliary, rest home, & custodial care.
- 99281-99285. Emergency department.
- 99291-99292; 99468-99473; 99475-99476. Critical care & neonatal/pediatric critical care.
- 99341-99345; 99347-99350. Home visits.
- 99477-99478. Intensive care services.
- Care planning for patients with cognitive impairment.
The changes in 2021 mostly center on the place of service and modifiers, as well as the end date of the telehealth exceptions listed above. UHC Commercial originally used POS where the visit would have normally taken place – usually the office, which is POS 11. Now in 2021, they require POS 02 for a telehealth service. Since this is an example, and commercial plans in other states may have different guidelines, we encourage you to contact your contracted payers to confirm their requirements. Also, remember that this is a new year, so another annual consent will be required.
Using new technology to expand your services, and possibly your patient volume, can create challenges. If you have encountered denials on your telehealth claims or would like more information on telehealth billing, please contact Debbie Parker or Laura Summy to discuss how we can assist your practice.
Laura Summy is Managing of coding of MMG Healthcare Solutions / Medic Management Group. MMG is a national provider of consulting services and back office administrative support to independent and system owned physician practice groups. Additionally, MMG has been formally recognized as a multi-year Northeast Ohio Top Workplaces award winner.
Debbie Parker is a Director at MMG, responsible for oversight of Revenue Cycle Management administration and operations. She has extensive experience in all facets of revenue cycle optimization including workflow management, application of technology, and quality control. She has directly managed teams executing in areas including billing, collection, payment posting, charge entry, coding, physician credentialing, and customer service.
Jan Lasker is a Senior Billing Manager at MMG. In that capacity, she oversees an experienced team that executes revenue cycle management activity on behalf of various MMG clients.