On March 17, CMS issued new guidance on telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries to help providers more flexibly diagnose and manage patients during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Telehealth visits under Medicare are now reimbursed at the same rate as in-person visits, and practices have the flexibility to reduce or waive cost sharing for patients. This applies to physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and LCSWs. The updated policy also temporarily waives geographic and originating site restrictions for telehealth that previously limited eligibility to patients in rural areas who travel to a medical facility to access the services. During the emergency period, providers may now use a range of virtual platforms—including Skype, Facetime, and Google Hangouts—as long as they are “good faith use of telehealth.” The eased restrictions were based on authority granted in the “Phase 1” stimulus package as well as the president’s national emergency declaration.
