Healthcare News: CMS permits hospitals to bill for telehealth, expands diagnostic testing for COVID-19

Why This Topic Matters

The article explains temporary CMS policy changes that affect how facilities and practitioners bill for telehealth and COVID-19-related testing during the public health emergency. It is useful for organizations needing to stay current on Medicare billing and compliance updates tied to emergency rules.

Article Sections

1. Expansion of telehealth billing during the PHE

   Overview of temporary CMS changes affecting hospital and physician telehealth billing during the public health emergency. The section discusses facility-based and practitioner-based service delivery settings and related billing considerations.

2. Hospital billing

   Discussion of hospital outpatient billing for remotely furnished services and related department status considerations. The section also covers billing treatment for relocated provider-based departments and originating site payment concepts.

3. Physician billing

   Summary of temporary telehealth policy changes affecting practitioner eligibility, communication methods, and payment updates. This section focuses on Medicare telehealth billing changes during the emergency period.

4. Increased diagnostic testing

   Overview of CMS changes related to COVID-19 diagnostic testing coverage and specimen collection during the public health emergency. The section also addresses related laboratory testing and outpatient testing workflow impacts.