Maine Medicaid (MaineCare) reimburses for live video telehealth under certain conditions, and remote patient monitoring for patients with certain risk factors.
Telehealth is the use of information technology by a Health Care Provider to deliver clinical services at a distance for the purpose of diagnosis, disease monitoring, or treatment. Telehealth Services may be either telephonic or interactive (combined video/audio).
If the Member is eligible for the underlying covered service and providing it via telehealth is medically appropriate and is of comparable quality if it had been delivered in-person, the telehealth service is eligible for reimbursement.
Provider manual indicates coverage of “telehealth services” which is inclusive of store-and-forward, however the manual only discusses interactive telehealth, and remote patient monitoring in detail. Additionally, the manual only discusses the use of the GT modifier (live interactive video), and does not mention the GQ modifier (asynchronous).
“Telemedicine, as it pertains to the delivery of health care services, means the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment. ‘Telemedicine’ does not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile machine or e-mail.”
A health plan may not deny coverage on the basis that the coverage is provided through telemedicine if the health care service would have been covered through an in-person consultation between a covered person and a health care provider. Coverage must be determined in a manner consistent with coverage for services provided through in-person consultation.
A health plan may not deny coverage on the basis that the coverage is provided through telemedicine if the health care service would have been covered through an in-person consultation between a covered person and a health care provider.
Board of Licensure in Medicine & Board of Osteopathic Licensure: "Telemedicine" means the practice of medicine or the rendering of health care services using electronic audio-visual communications and information technologies or other means, including interactive audio with asynchronous store-and-forward transmission, between a licensee in one location and a patient in another location with or without an intervening health care provider. Telemedicine includes asynchronous store-and-forward technologies, remote monitoring, and real-time interactive services, including teleradiology and telepathology. Telemedicine shall not include the provision of medical services only through an audio-only telephone, e-mail, instant messaging, facsimile transmission, or U.S. mail or other parcel service, or any combination thereof.
Board of Licensure in Medicine & Board of Osteopathic Licensure: A licensee who uses telemedicine shall ensure the patient provides appropriate informed consent for the health care services provided, including consent for the use of telemedicine, which must be documented in the patient’s medical record.
Board of Licensure in Medicine & Board of Osteopathic Licensure: Prior to providing treatment, including issuing prescriptions, electronically or otherwise, a licensee who uses telemedicine in providing health care shall interview the patient to collect the relevant medical history and perform a physical examination, when medically necessary, sufficient for the diagnosis and treatment of the patient.
Our telemedicine services can be applied to big cities as well as rural locations. We contract with the highest quality health professionals and partner with hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities throughout the Nation.
