During the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), MO HealthNet (MHD) reminded providers of program policies around telemedicine services.
The COVID-19 public health emergency will expire on May 11, 2023. Effective May 12, 2023 MO HealthNet, will continue to allow any licensed health care provider, enrolled as a MO HealthNet provider, to provide telehealth services if the services are within the scope of practice for which the health care provider is licensed. The services must be provided with the same standard of care as services provided in person.
Telehealth services may be provided to a MHD participant, while the participant is at an originating site, and the provider is at another location (the distant site.) The originating site facility fee cannot be billed to MO HealthNet when the originating site is the participant’s home.
There is not a separate telehealth fee schedule. Reimbursement to health care providers delivering the medical service at the distant site is equal to the current fee schedule amount for the service provided.
MHD also allowed the use of telephone for telehealth services, and allowed quarantined providers and/or providers working from alternate sites or facilities to provide and bill for telehealth services. These services should be billed as distant site services using the physician’s and/or clinic provider number. MHD did not require additional CMS flexibility for these options, and they will continue.
During the Public Health Emergency, MHD waived some requirements, including:
- The requirement that physicians must have an established relationship with the patient before providing services via telehealth, per RSMo 191.1146
- The requirement that, in order to treat patients in this state with telehealth, health care providers shall be fully licensed to practice in this state. The flexibility allowed providers to treat patients in this state if they are licensed in the state in which they practice.
Effective May 12, 2023 MO HealthNet will discontinue the two flexibilities above.