Arkansas BCBS Expands Telehealth Services
On April 13, 2020, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) announced they have expanded telehealth services to include outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy services. The temporary changes are retroactive to April 1 and will be in effect through at least May 15, 2020, and could be
extended after that, if circumstances warrant.
There will be no waiver of cost share (e.g. copays, deductibles, and coinsurance) for these services and all contractual limitations, conditions, policies, and procedures will apply. Codes must be submitted with place of service 02 and modifier 95 or GT to indicate billing of a telehealth service. Appropriate documentation commensurate with the level of service provided and submitted for payment is to be placed in the medical record. Providers are responsible for ensuring that they are in compliance with Arkansas law for their specialty regarding telemedicine.
Only the following codes will be reimbursed for telemedicine. Telephonic codes do not apply.
Physical Therapy (PT)—97161, 97162, 97163, 97164, 97110, 97112, 97116, 97535
Occupational Therapy (OT)—97165, 97166, 97167, 97168, 97110, 97112, 97116, 97535, 92523
Speech & Language Therapy (SLT)—92507, 92521, 92522, 92523, 92524, 92526, 92610, 96105, 97110
Click HERE to access the document straight from Arkansas BCBS.
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When would you use modifier 95 vs GT? They are both very similar when reading the definitions. Thanks!
They both mean the same thing. Which one you use would be dependent on the insurance carrier and which one(s) are they saying to use.