Texas Telehealth Laws & Reimbursement Policies

Texas Medicaid reimburses for live video and store-and-forward in some circumstances. Home telemonitoring is reimbursable for some conditions when a provider is approved to deliver those services.

"Telehealth service" means a health service, other than a telemedicine medical service, that is delivered by a licensed or certified health professional acting within the scope of the health professional's license or certification who does not perform a telemedicine medical service and that requires the use of advanced telecommunications technology, other than telephone or facsimile technology.

No reimbursement for audio-only telephone consultation.
No reimbursement for text-only email message.
No reimbursement for facsimile transmission.

Written or verbal consent must be obtained to allow any other individual (besides the distant site provider, patient site presenter or representative) to be present during a telemedicine or telehealth visit.

An out-of-state physician who is a distant site provider may provide episodic telemedicine medical services without a Texas medical license as outlined in Texas Statute and Regulation.

Click for a list of miscellaneous requirements for Texas Medicaid.

"Telehealth service" means a health service, other than a telemedicine medical service, delivered by a health professional licensed, certified, or otherwise entitled to practice in this state and acting within the scope of the health professional's license, certification, or entitlement to a patient at a different physical location than the health professional using telecommunications or information technology.

Each issuer of a health benefit plan must adopt and display in a conspicuous manner on their website the policies and payment practices for telemedicine medical services and telehealth services. They, however, are not required to list payment rates.

Prohibits a health benefit plan from excluding from coverage a service delivered as a telemedicine medical service or a telehealth service solely because the service is not provided in-person. A health plan is not required to provide coverage for services provided by only synchronous or asynchronous audio interaction including audio-only telephone; email or facsimile.

Telehealth service means a health service, other than a telemedicine medical service, delivered by a health professional licensed, certified, or otherwise entitled to practice in this state and acting within the scope of the health professional’s license, certification, or entitlement to a patient at a different physical location than the health professional using telecommunications or information technology.

Consent required prior to telemedicine or telehealth services.

A valid practitioner-patient relationship is present between a practitioner providing a telemedicine medical service and a patient receiving the telemedicine medical service as long as the practitioner complies with the same standard of care as would apply in an in-person setting, and complies with specified standards.

A telemedicine license may be issued for out of state providers.

Click for additional professional and health & safety requirements.