Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many private practices and organizations are asking about their ability to provide therapy services to their patients via telehealth or some other type of virtual service. To read my article on telehealth services provided by physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), click HERE.

Here are 2 updates regarding telehealth services being expanded to outpatient therapy services. Effective March 30, 2020, NC Medicaid is temporarily modifying its Telemedicine and Telepsychiatry Clinical Coverage Policy to better enable the delivery of remote care to Medicaid and NC Health Choice beneficiaries. These temporary changes will be retroactive to March 10, 2020, and will end the earlier of the cancellation of the North Carolina state of emergency declaration or when this policy is rescinded. Click HERE to read the special bulletin and its application to outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy services. Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of North Carolina

Please click on the applicable links below regarding updates on telehealth coverage for outpatient therapy services in the states of Indiana, Maryland and Oklahoma. Executive Order from Governor of Indiana Executive Order from Governor of Maryland Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision

Effective April 9, 2020, this article is no longer current. Click HERE to read the latest about Cigna and their coverage of outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy delivered via telehealth. This article was updated on March 28, 2020 by adding a link to American Specialty Health and updating the place of service code to use on the 1500-claim form. In addition, it’s my interpretation that Cigna is only paying for telehealth services for physical, occupational and speech therapy submitted on a 1500-claim form by a private practice. Institutional providers (i.e. rehab agencies and hospital outpatient departments) should contact Cigna

This afternoon, March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law. The CARES Act has several important provisions related to therapy services. A few of them are as follows: Sec. 3703. Expanding Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities This section will broaden the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to waive the telehealth requirements of section 1834(m) of the Social Security Act during the COVID-19 emergency period. This would enable Medicare beneficiaries to access telehealth, including in their home, from a broader range of providers, reducing COVID-19 exposure. To make it clear,

With many states mandating insurance plans in their state expand telehealth services and reimbursement to include physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy (ST) as well as several insurances expanding telehealth services and reimbursement on their own, I am being asked what CPT code(s) do I use to bill for telehealth services for physical, occupational and/or speech therapy services. The answer is the one that you do not like. It is insurance carrier specific and you have to check with each insurance carrier and yes, this includes workers compensation. Codes that I am commonly seeing insurance companies mention

On March 26, 2020, at 11:00pm CDT, Unitedhealthcare (UHC) posted the following announcement on their website:

On March 15, 2020, Massachusetts Governor Charles D. Baker issued an order expanding access to telehealth services and to protect healthcare providers. This order requires all Commercial Health Insurers, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and Health Maintenance Organizations regulated by the Division of Insurance, are hereby required to allow all in-network providers to deliver clinically appropriate, medically necessary covered services to members via telehealth. Click HERE to access this order. Click HERE to access the Massachusetts Physical Therapy Association COVID-19 Resource Center.