Healthcare News & Articles
March 19, 2020
UHC Provider Telehealth Policy
Please Note: We are actively working to update our Telehealth policies based on CMS guidance from 3/17.
Effective immediately, UnitedHealthcare is expanding our policies around telehealth services for our Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and commercial membership, making it even easier for patients to connect with their health care provider.
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Designated Telehealth Partners - Members can access their existing telehealth benefit offered through one of UnitedHealthcare’s designated partners for free.
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Expanded Provider Telehealth Access - Effective immediately, for the next 90 days (through June 18, 2020), all eligible in-network medical providers who have the ability and want to connect with their patient through synchronous virtual care (live video-conferencing) can do so. Member cost sharing will be waived for COVID-19 related testing through June 18, 2020.
March 18, 2020
Medicare Telehealth Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is posting an update to its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Medicaid.gov website to aid state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies in their response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. CMS is taking this action to continue its efforts to protect the health and safety of providers and patients, including those who are covered by Medicaid and CHIP.out? What makes it interesting? Write a catchy description to grab your audience's attention...
Question: Will CMS enforce an established relationship requirement?
Answer: No. It is imperative during this public health emergency that patients avoid travel, when possible, to physicians’ offices, clinics, hospitals, or other health care facilities where they could risk their own or others’ exposure to further illness. Accordingly, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is announcing a policy of enforcement discretion for Medicare telehealth services furnished pursuant to the waiver under section 1135(b)(8) of the Act. To the extent the waiver (section 1135(g)(3)) requires that the patient have a prior established relationship with a particular practitioner, HHS will not conduct audits to ensure that such a prior relationship existed for claims submitted during this public health emergency.
Question: How does a qualified provider bill for telehealth services?
Answer: Medicare telehealth services are generally billed as if the service had been furnished in-person. For Medicare telehealth services, the claim should reflect the designated Place of Service (POS) code 02-Telehealth, to
March 17, 2020
President Trump Expands Telehealth Benefits for Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Outbreak
The Trump Administration today announced expanded Medicare telehealth coverage that will enable beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. Beginning on March 6, 2020, Medicare—administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)—will temporarily pay clinicians to provide telehealth services for beneficiaries residing across the entire country.
February 20, 2020
An emergency ICD-10 code has been created by the World Health Organization that will be implemented into ICD-10 effective October 1, 2020.
Until then, providers must use available ICD-10 codes and guidance when reporting.
U07.1 - 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease (not effective until October 1, 2020)