Medicaid Telehealth Reimbursement
Summary
Connecticut Medicaid is required to cover telemedicine services for categories of health care that the commissioner determines are appropriate, cost effective and likely to expand access.
Definitions
Definition for Telemedicine Demonstration Program for FQHCs: “Telemedicine means the use of interactive audio, interactive video or interactive data communication in the delivery of medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment…Telemedicine does not include the use of facsimile or audio-only telephone.”
Live Video
Policy
CT Medicaid is required (within available state and federal resources) to provide coverage for telehealth services for categories of health care services that the commissioner determines are clinically appropriate to be provided through telehealth, cost effective for the state and likely to expand access to services for whom accessing healthcare poses an undue hardship.
Eligible Services/Specialties
Case management behavioral health services for clients age eighteen and under is the only service allowed.
Eligible Providers
Click for a list of eligible providers.
Eligible Sites
No reference found.
Geographic Limits
No reference found.
Facility/Transmission Fee
No reference found.
Store-and-Forward
Policy
Federally Qualified Health Centers, outpatient office settings, outpatient hospital settings and clinic settings can be reimbursed for electronic consults (e-consults) for specialty care (provider to provider communication).
Eligible Services/Specialties
Provider to provider communication for specialty care is the only service that qualifies.
Geographic Limits
No reference found.
Transmission Fee
No reference found.
Remote Patient Monitoring
Policy
No reference found.
Conditions
No reference found.
Provider Limitations
No reference found.
Other Restrictions
No reference found.
Email/Phone/Fax
The department shall not pay for information or services provided to a client over the telephone except for case management behavioral health services for patients aged 18 and under.
Consent
At the time of the telehealth provider’s first telehealth interaction with a patient, the telehealth provider shall inform the patient concerning the treatment methods and limitations of treatment using a telehealth platform and, after providing the patient with such information, obtain the patient’s consent to provide telehealth services.
Out of State Providers
No reference found.
Miscellaneous
No reference found.
Private Payer Laws
Definitions
“Telehealth” means the mode of delivering health care or other health services via information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation and treatment, education, care management and self-management of a patient’s physical and mental health, and includes (A) interaction between the patient at the originating site and the telehealth provider at a distant site, and (B) synchronous interactions, asynchronous store-and-forward transfers or remote patient monitoring. Telehealth does not include the use of facsimile, audio-only telephone, texting or electronic mail.”
Requirements
Each individual health insurance policy and group health insurance policy providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 shall provide coverage for medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment provided via telehealth to the extent coverage is provided for such advice, diagnosis, care or treatment when provided through in-person consultation between the insured and a health care provider. and shall be subject to the same terms and conditions of the policy.
Parity
Coverage must be provided for telehealth if it would be covered in-person, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
Professional Regulation/Health & Safety
Definitions
“Telehealth” means the mode of delivering health care or other health services via information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation and treatment, education, care management and self-management of a patient’s physical and mental health, and includes (A) interaction between the patient at the originating site and the telehealth provider at a distant site, and (B) synchronous interactions, asynchronous store-and-forward transfers or remote patient monitoring. Telehealth does not include the use of facsimile, audio-only telephone, texting or electronic mail.”
Consent
At the time of the telehealth provider’s first telehealth interaction with a patient, the telehealth provider shall inform the patient concerning the treatment methods and limitations of treatment using a telehealth platform and, after providing the patient with such information, obtain the patient’s consent to provide telehealth services.
Online Prescribing
No telehealth provider shall prescribe any schedule I, II or III controlled substance through the use of telehealth, except a schedule II or III controlled substance other than an opioid drug, in a manner consistent with federal law, for the treatment of a person with a psychiatric disability or substance use disorder, including but not limited to medication assisted treatment.
Cross State Licensing
Department of Public Health may establish a process of accepting an applicant’s license from another state and may issue that applicant a license to practice medicine in the state without examination, if certain conditions are met.
Miscellaneous
No reference found.
Source: Center for Connected Health Policy
https://www.cchpca.org