Medicaid and Medicare billing for asynchronous telehealth
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services now includes asynchronous telehealth as a covered benefit on a state-by-state basis.
What is asynchronous telehealth?
Asynchronous telehealth — often called “store and forward” — lets providers and patients share information directly with each other before or after telehealth appointments.
This includes providers sending their patients lab results, X-rays, or other imaging reports. Asynchronous telehealth also includes patients sending their providers pictures or video of symptoms, for example, and the provider reviewing it before the virtual appointment. Other forms of asynchronous telehealth include answering patient questions or giving medical advice via secure messaging.
Medicaid coverage
Each state has its own store and forward billing policies. Providers interested in billing for asynchronous telehealth can check their state’s policies on the National Policy Center - Center for Connected Health Policy .
Medicare coverage
Federal law limits Medicare’s telehealth coverage of store-and-forward or asynchronous telehealth to certain projects located in Alaska or Hawaii. Some asynchronous tasks, such as virtual check-ins can be billed to specific Medicare codes.
Read more
Medicare Learning Network Fact Sheet: Telehealth Services (PDF) — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services