Billing for telehealth during COVID-19. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the federal government, state Medicaid programs, and private insurers have all expanded coverage for telehealth. Find out how COVID-19 reimbursements for telehealth continue to evolve. You'll pay either our full copay rate or reduced copay rate. If you live in a high-cost area, you may qualify for a reduced inpatient copay rate no matter what priority group you're in. To find out if you qualify for a reduced inpatient copay rate, call us toll-free at 877-222-8387. We're here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. Through June 30, 2021, all member cost-sharing (deductibles, coinsurance and copays) for 24/7 telemedicine visits provided by American Well (www.amwell.com), Doctor On Demand (www.doctorondemand.com) and Teladoc (www.teladoc.com) will be waived regardless of medical diagnosis, including behavioral health services for those feeling high levels of stress or anxiety. Member Coverage and Cost Share: UnitedHealthcare Individual and fully insured Group Market health plans will continue to extend its temporary cost share (copay, coinsurance or deductible) waiver for certain telehealth services, as described below. The following cost share waiver information applies to COVID-19 visits for medical, outpatient.
- Tricare Waiving Copays For Telehealth
- Is Blue Shield Waiving Copays For Telehealth
- Copays Waived For Telehealth
- Medicare Waiving Copays For Telehealth
- Aetna Waive Copay For Telehealth
On March 24, 2020, the US Department of Health and Humans Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued guidance regarding OIG’s March 17, 2020, policy statement on reductions or waivers of cost-sharing obligations owed by federal healthcare program beneficiaries for telehealth services. While the original policy statement set conditions which, if met by physicians or practitioners, would allow them to avoid administrative sanctions for granting such reductions or waivers, the March 24 guidance clarifies OIG’s position on the scope of telehealth services covered.
On March 24, 2020, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued guidance (Guidance) regarding the policy statement permitting routine waiver of copays for telehealth services (Policy Statement) issued on March 17, 2020. The Guidance clarifies the scope of “telehealth services” that may be the subject of the copayment waivers and clarifies the type of providers to which the Policy Statement applies.
Tricare Waiving Copays For Telehealth
Through the Policy Statement, OIG notified physicians and other practitioners that they will not be subject to administrative sanctions for reducing or waiving any cost-sharing obligations that federal healthcare program beneficiaries may owe for telehealth services for arrangements that satisfy both of the following conditions:
- A physician or other practitioner reduces or waives cost-sharing obligations (i.e., coinsurance and deductibles) that a beneficiary may owe for telehealth services furnished consistent with the then-applicable coverage and payment rules.
- The telehealth services are furnished during the time period subject to the COVID-19 national emergency declaration.
Is Blue Shield Waiving Copays For Telehealth
OIG will not view the provision of free telehealth services alone as an inducement or as likely to influence future referrals (i.e., OIG will not view the furnishing of subsequent services occurring as a result of the free telehealth services, without more, as evidence of an inducement) for any free telehealth services furnished during the pendency of the emergency declaration. The Policy Statement, however, did not define the scope of the “telehealth services” subject to the waiver.
Copays Waived For Telehealth
The Guidance clarifies OIG’s position on the scope of “telehealth services,” stating that such services are not limited to the narrow set of services referred to by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as “telehealth visits” under the Medicare Part B program. Rather, OIG reported that it intends for the Policy Statement to apply more broadly to “non-face-to-face services furnished through various modalities, including telehealth visits, virtual check-in services, e-visits, monthly remote care management, and monthly remote patient monitoring.”
Medicare Waiving Copays For Telehealth
In addition, OIG clarified that the availability of the waivers is not limited to physicians and other practitioners who bill for their services; the availability of waivers also extends to hospitals or other eligible individuals or entities that bill on behalf of the physician or practitioner pursuant to a reassignment of his or her right to receive payments to such individual or entity.
Aetna Waive Copay For Telehealth
This clarification should be welcome to physicians, hospitals and health systems that are seeking alternatives to in-person patient visits and ways to alleviate the financial burden of such services for certain patient populations during the COVID-19 national emergency. However, as noted in our discussion regarding COVID-19 beneficiary inducement questions, certain other considerations might be at play when evaluating copay waivers that would apply to the still fairly narrow contours of OIG’s telehealth