Telehealth Learning and Consultation (TLC) Tuesdays - Telehealth Billing

The TLC Tuesdays series provide an opportunity to learn more about the use of technology to support telehealth delivery. 

HITEQ Webinar Takeaways:

• Documentation of telehealth visits should be similar to in-person progress notes. For example, should include the location of the patient and the provider, the type of service provided (e.g., individual, group). For group visits, it is recommended that providers document how a telehealth visit maintained the same best practice standards as an in-person visit. This includes documentation of how patient anonymity was achieved through privacy settings. 
• For school-based practitioners, it is important to review the guidelines that connect HIPAA and FERPA.
• There are special considerations for the treatment of Substance Use Disorders. During the state of emergency, controlled substances can be prescribed via tele at a first visit. Many changes for Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). For example, no physical needed for Buprenorphine dosing. Some states are allowing for cross-state behavioral health counseling visits. 
• Presenters advised that the same CPT codes should be billed as in-person visits, but modifiers may be different. Center for Connected Health Policy Billing Guide for Telehealth Encounters was recommended.