Connecting Coding and Policy: Telemedicine

Abstract

Telemedicine services are now often subject to payment policies and regulations that were not in effect or not enforced during the COVID-19 public health emergency. This article reviews the general policies that are typically applicable to provision and reporting of telemedicine services based on federal privacy regulations, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) guidance, and common payer policies. Topics include the following: Defining telemedicine Planning for telemedicine services Codes and modifiers for telemedicine services Place of service (POS) for telemedicine services Documentation of telemedicine services Payment and payer policies