Source: American Academy of Family Physicians
The CARES Act recently provided additional flexibility for billing telehealth services. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) can now serve as the distant site for telehealth services. They were previously limited to serving as the originating site. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has also expanded the services included in HCPCS G0071 and adjusted payment accordingly.
- FQHCs and RHCs can bill for Virtual Communication Services (HCPCS G0071). G0071 includes:
- 5 minutes or more of virtual (non-face-to-face) communication between an RHC or FQHC practitioner and RHC or FQHC patient; or
- 5 minutes or more of remote evaluation of recorded video and/or images by an RHC or FQHC practitioner, occurring in lieu of an office visit; or
- the services as described by CPT codes 99421-99423.
- Online digital evaluation and management for a patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 5-10 minutes, 11-20 minutes, or 21 or more minutes
- The services are no longer restricted to established patients and can be provided to new and established patients.
- Consent may be obtained prior or at the time of service.
- Effective for services furnished on or after March 1, 2020, CMS will revise the payment amount for HCPCS G0071 to reflect an average of the national non-facility payment rates for G2012, G2010, and 99421-99423.
- The RHC and FQHC face-to-face requirements are waived for these services.
*The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will exercise enforcement discretion and waive penalties for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violations against health care providers that serve patients in good faith through everyday communication technologies, such as FaceTime or Skype, during the COVID-19 public health emergency.