Telehealth

Telehealth services provided through telecommunications systems (for example, computers and phones) allows health care providers to give care to patients remotely in place of an in-person visit.

During the PHE, individuals with Medicare had broad access to telehealth services, including in their homes, without the geographic or location limits that usually apply. See Section 4113 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 for extension of flexibilities for many telehealth provisions through December 31, 2024 and made some of them permanent.

Suppliers are encouraged to confirm that the treating practitioner has provided and is billing a valid telehealth visit for the item(s) they have ordered. No specific type of verification is recommended or required. Confirmation of a valid visit protects suppliers in case of review and ensures beneficiaries receive the correct DMEPOS for their condition. A telehealth visit may be verified by a reviewing entity to make sure the visit qualifies as a face-to-face visit when this is required before ordering DMEPOS. You can find the CPT codes covered when done via telehealth on the CMS.gov List of Telehealth Services webpage.

Resources

Last Updated May 10 , 2024