Providers can now perform 89 telehealth services with a telephone call, CMS says

by Julia Kyles, CPC on May 1, 2020
A phone call with a patient — plus complete documentation — will be all it takes to report 89 services on Medicare's telehealth list. Practices will also be able to receive full reimbursement for 39 new services performed via telehealth, according to the updated telehealth list posted today. The changes are retroactive to March 1.
 
As the Part B News blog reported yesterday, this round of revisions to the telehealth list are — like the March 31 update — one part of CMS’ continued effort to protect patients and health care providers from exposure to COVID-19 by broadening the scope of telehealth. We’re still waiting for a final version of the interim final rule that details all of the new changes, but here is a draft version.
 
The revisions to the telehealth list mean that practices will be able to conduct telehealth visits such as 96160 (Pt-focused hlth risk assmt) and 90853 (Group psychotherapy) via “audio-only interaction,” as CMS calls it. And as noted yesterday, CMS added telephone E/M calls (99441-99443) to the list and boosted the payments to put them on par with office E/M codes. That means a 99443 telephone E/M service will be paid at the same rate as a 99214 service, or about $110 (national, non-facility rates).
 
Office E/M services must still be reported via an audio/visual link, but you can do so via the laxer rules that are in place during the public health emergency.  
 
The following chart contains the latest updates to the telehealth list. Note that seven of the new codes are not covered by Medicare Part B. However, these services may be covered by some Medicare Advantage plans. Our sortable version of the complete list is available for subscribers.
 
Code
Short Descriptor
Status
Telephone only?
Medicare Payment Limitations
90785
Psytx complex interactive
Permanent
Yes
  
90791
Psych diagnostic evaluation
Permanent
Yes
  
90792
Psych diag eval w/med srvcs
Permanent
Yes
  
90832
Psytx w pt 30 minutes
Permanent
Yes
  
90833
Psytx w pt w e/m 30 min
Permanent
Yes
  
90834
Psytx w pt 45 minutes
Permanent
Yes
  
90836
Psytx w pt w e/m 45 min
Permanent
Yes
  
90837
Psytx w pt 60 minutes
Permanent
Yes
  
90838
Psytx w pt w e/m 60 min
Permanent
Yes
  
90839
Psytx crisis initial 60 min
Permanent
Yes
  
90840
Psytx crisis ea addl 30 min
Permanent
Yes
  
90845
Psychoanalysis
Permanent
Yes
  
90846
Family psytx w/o pt 50 min
Permanent
Yes
  
90847
Family psytx w/pt 50 min
Permanent
Yes
  
90853
Group psychotherapy
Added March 30
Yes
  
90875
Psychophysiological therapy
Added April 30
  
Non-covered service
90956
Esrd srv 1 visit p mo 2-11
Added April 30
    
92002
Eye exam new patient
Added April 30
    
92004
Eye exam new patient
Added April 30
    
92012
Eye exam establish patient
Added April 30
    
92014
Eye exam&tx estab pt 1/>vst
Added April 30
    
92507
Speech/hearing therapy
Added March 30
Yes
  
92508
Speech/hearing therapy
Added April 30
Yes
  
92521
Evaluation of speech fluency
Added March 30
Yes
  
92522
Evaluate speech production
Added March 30
Yes
  
92523
Speech sound lang comprehen
Added March 30
Yes
  
92524
Behavral qualit analys voice
Added March 30
Yes
  
92601
Cochlear implt f/up exam <7
Added April 30
    
92602
Reprogram cochlear implt <7
Added April 30
    
92603
Cochlear implt f/up exam 7/>
Added April 30
    
92604
Reprogram cochlear implt 7/>
Added April 30
    
94002
Vent mgmt inpat init day
Added April 30
    
94003
Vent mgmt inpat subq day
Added April 30
    
94004
Vent mgmt nf per day
Added April 30
    
94005
Home vent mgmt supervision
Added April 30
  
Bundled code.
94664
Evaluate pt use of inhaler
Added April 30
    
96110
Developmental screen w/score
Added April 30
    
96112
Devel tst phys/qhp 1st hr
Added April 30
  
Non-covered service
96113
Devel tst phys/qhp ea addl
Added April 30
    
96116
Nubhvl xm phys/qhp 1st hr
Permanent
Yes
  
96121
Nubhvl xm phy/qhp ea addl hr
Added April 30
Yes
  
96127
Brief emotional/behav assmt
Added April 30
Yes
  
96130
Psycl tst eval phys/qhp 1st
Added March 30
Yes
  
96131
Psycl tst eval phys/qhp ea
Added March 30
Yes
  
96132
Nrpsyc tst eval phys/qhp 1st
Added March 30
Yes
  
96133
Nrpsyc tst eval phys/qhp ea
Added March 30
Yes
  
96136
Psycl/nrpsyc tst phy/qhp 1st
Added March 30
Yes
  
96137
Psycl/nrpsyc tst phy/qhp ea
Added March 30
Yes
  
96138
Psycl/nrpsyc tech 1st
Added March 30
Yes
  
96139
Psycl/nrpsyc tst tech ea
Added March 30
Yes
  
96156
Hlth bhv assmt/reassessment
Permanent
Yes
  
96158
Hlth bhv ivntj indiv 1st 30
Added April 30
Yes
  
96159
Hlth bhv ivntj indiv ea addl
Permanent
Yes
  
96160
Pt-focused hlth risk assmt
Permanent
Yes
  
96161
Caregiver health risk assmt
Permanent
Yes
  
96164
Hlth bhv ivntj grp 1st 30
Permanent
Yes
  
96165
Hlth bhv ivntj grp ea addl
Permanent
Yes
  
96167
Hlth bhv ivntj fam 1st 30
Permanent
Yes
  
96168
Hlth bhv ivntj fam ea addl
Permanent
Yes
  
96168
Hlth bhv ivntj fam ea addl
Permanent
Yes
  
96170
Hlth bhv ivntj fam wo pt 1st
Added April 30
  
Non-covered service
96171
Hlth bhv ivntj fam w/o pt ea
Added April 30
  
Non-covered service
97150
Group therapeutic procedures
Added April 30
    
97151
Bhv id assmt by phys/qhp
Added April 30
    
97152
Bhv id suprt assmt by 1 tech
Added April 30
    
97153
Adaptive behavior tx by tech
Added April 30
    
97154
Grp adapt bhv tx by tech
Added April 30
    
97155
Adapt behavior tx phys/qhp
Added April 30
    
97156
Fam adapt bhv tx gdn phy/qhp
Added April 30
    
97157
Mult fam adapt bhv tx gdn
Added April 30
    
97158
Grp adapt bhv tx by phy/qhp
Added April 30
    
97530
Therapeutic activities
Added April 30
    
97535
Self care mngment training
Added March 30
Yes
  
97542
Wheelchair mngment training
Added April 30
    
97802
Medical nutrition indiv in
Permanent
Yes
  
97803
Med nutrition indiv subseq
Permanent
Yes
  
97804
Medical nutrition group
Permanent
Yes
  
99324
Domicil/r-home visit new pat
Added April 30
    
99325
Domicil/r-home visit new pat
Added April 30
    
99326
Domicil/r-home visit new pat
Added April 30
    
99354
Prolong e&m/psyctx serv o/p
Permanent
Yes
  
99355
Prolong e&m/psyctx serv o/p
Permanent
Yes
  
99356
Prolonged service inpatient
Permanent
Yes
  
99357
Prolonged service inpatient
Permanent
Yes
  
99406
Behav chng smoking 3-10 min
Permanent
Yes
  
99407
Behav chng smoking > 10 min
Permanent
Yes
  
99441
Phone e/m phys/qhp 5-10 min
Added April 30
Yes
  
99442
Phone e/m phys/qhp 11-20 min
Added April 30
Yes
  
99443
Phone e/m phys/qhp 21-30 min
Added April 30
Yes
  
99497
Advncd care plan 30 min
Permanent
Yes
  
99498
Advncd care plan addl 30 min
Permanent
Yes
  
 0373T
Adapt bhv tx ea 15 min
Added April 30
    
 S9152
Speech therapy, re-eval
Added April 30
  
Not valid for Medicare purposes
0362T
Bhv id suprt assmt ea 15 min
Added April 30
    
90785
Psytx complex interactive
Permanent
Yes
  
G0108
Diab manage trn  per indiv
Permanent
Yes
  
G0109
Diab manage trn ind/group
Permanent
Yes
  
G0270
Mnt subs tx for change dx
Permanent
Yes
  
G0296
Visit to determ ldct elig
Permanent
Yes
  
G0396
Alcohol/subs interv 15-30mn
Permanent
Yes
  
G0397
Alcohol/subs interv >30 min
Permanent
Yes
  
G0406
Inpt/tele follow up 15
Permanent
Yes
  
G0407
Inpt/tele follow up 25
Permanent
Yes
  
G0408
Inpt/tele follow up 35
Permanent
Yes
  
G0410
Grp psych partial hosp 45-50
Added April 30
  
Statutory exclusion
G0420
Ed svc ckd ind per session
Permanent
Yes
  
G0421
Ed svc ckd grp per session
Permanent
Yes
  
G0425
Inpt/ed teleconsult30
Permanent
Yes
  
G0426
Inpt/ed teleconsult50
Permanent
Yes
  
G0427
Inpt/ed teleconsult70
Permanent
Yes
  
G0436
Tobacco-use counsel 3-10 min
Permanent
Yes
 Deleted 9/30/16 but still listed by CMS
G0437
Tobacco-use counsel>10min
Permanent
Yes
 Deleted 9/30/16 but still listed by CMS
G0438
Ppps, initial visit
Permanent
Yes
  
G0439
Ppps, subseq visit
Permanent
Yes
  
G0442
Annual alcohol screen 15 min
Permanent
Yes
  
G0443
Brief alcohol misuse counsel
Permanent
Yes
  
G0444
Depression screen annual
Permanent
Yes
  
G0445
High inten beh couns std 30m
Permanent
Yes
  
G0446
Intens behave ther cardio dx
Permanent
Yes
  
G0447
Behavior counsel obesity 15m
Permanent
Yes
  
G0459
Telehealth inpt pharm mgmt
Permanent
Yes
  
G0506
Comp asses care plan ccm svc
Permanent
Yes
  
G0513
Prolong prev svcs, first 30m
Permanent
Yes
  
G0514
Prolong prev svcs, addl 30m
Permanent
Yes
  
G2086
Off base opioid tx 70min
Permanent
Yes
  
G2087
Off base opioid tx, 60 m
Permanent
Yes
  
G2088
Off base opioid tx, add30
Permanent
Yes
  
G9685
Acute nursing facility care
Added April 30
    
Blog Tags: Breaking news, COVID-19, telehealth
The information contained herein was current as of the publication date. © Copyright DecisionHealth, all rights reserved. Electronic or print redistribution without prior written permission of DecisionHealth is strictly prohibited by federal copyright law.