General Telemedicine Toolkit - CMS

General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool KitTable of ContentsTable of Contents . 1Intent of Toolkit: . 1Tool Kit Contents: . 31135 Waiver Information . 4CMS Telemedicine General Policy Guidance . 4Telehealth Implementation Guide . 5State Statute Guidance . 5Basics on Setting up Telehealth . 5Telehealth Technical Assistance . 5Selecting a Vendor . 6Articles . 6Patient and Community Resources . 6Intent of Toolkit:Under President Trump’s leadership to respond to the need to limit the spread of community COVID-19,the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has broadened access to Medicare telehealthservices so that beneficiaries can receive a wider range of services from their doctors without having totravel to a healthcare facility. These policy changes build on the regulatory flexibilities granted under thePresident’s emergency declaration. CMS is expanding this benefit on a temporary and emergency basisunder the 1135 waiver authority and Coronavirus Preparedness and Response SupplementalAppropriations Act. The benefits are part of the broader effort by CMS and the White House Task Forceto ensure that all Americans – particularly those at high-risk of complications from the virus that causesthe disease COVID-19, are aware of easy-to-use, accessible benefits that can help keep them healthywhile helping to contain the community spread of this virus.Under this new waiver, Medicare can pay for office, hospital, and other visits furnished via telehealthacross the country and including in patient’s places of residence starting March 6, 2020. A range ofproviders, such as doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers,will be able to offer telehealth to their patients. Additionally, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG)is providing flexibility for healthcare providers to reduce or waive cost-sharing for telehealth visits paidby federal healthcare programs.Note, this toolkit is designed to provide information only and not intended to endorse any non-federal entities.

General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool KitTelehealth, telemedicine, and related terms generally refer to the exchange of medical information fromone site to another through electronic communication to improve a patient’s health. Innovative uses ofthis kind of technology in the provision of healthcare is increasing. And with the emergence of the viruscausing the disease COVID-19, there is an urgency to expand the use of technology to help people whoneed routine care, and keep vulnerable beneficiaries and beneficiaries with mild symptoms in theirhomes while maintaining access to the care they need. Limiting community spread of the virus, as wellas limiting the exposure to other patients and staff members will slow viral spread.There are three main types of virtual services physicians and other professionals can provide toMedicare beneficiaries summarized in this fact sheet elemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet: Medicare telehealth visits, virtualcheck-ins and e-visits.Effective immediately, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will exercise enforcement discretion andwaive penalties for HIPAA violations against health care providers that serve patients in good faiththrough everyday communications technologies, such as FaceTime or Skype, during the COVID-19nationwide public health emergency. For more information: -topics/emergency-preparedness/index.htmlCMS encourages all providers to share with patients these new abilities to provide healthcare throughtelemedicine.Note, this toolkit is designed to provide information only and not intended to endorse any non-federal entities.

General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool KitTool Kit Contents:This document contains electronic links to reliable sources of information regarding telehealth andtelemedicine. Most of the information is directed towards providers who may want to establish apermanent telemedicine program. There are specific documents identified that will be useful inchoosing telemedicine vendors, initiating a telemedicine program, monitoring patients remotely, anddeveloping documentation tools. However, there is also information that will be useful for providerswho wish to care for patients through the virtual services that may be temporarily used during theCOVID-19 situation. The HIPAA waiver described above is particularly important during this time as itallows the immediate utilization of commonly available programs such as FaceTime and Skype (inaddition to others), which are now a very low cost option for any provider in any setting.Please note that after the first block of information provided in the table below (which was released on17 March 2020), each of the other resources listed were created prior to this date, and therefore willlikely refer to rules and regulations, and other requirements which have now been waived for theduration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The CMS Press Release and accompanyingdocuments from 17 March 2020 should be taken as the most authoritative position reflecting thecurrent situation.Note, this toolkit is designed to provide information only and not intended to endorse any non-federal entities.

General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool KitFocus Area1135 Waiver InformationList of Resources President Trump Expands Telehealth Benefits for Medicare BeneficiariesDuring COVID-19 Outbreak: iciaries-during-covid-19-outbreak Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact icare-telemedicinehealth-care-provider-fact-sheet Medicare Telehealth Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) March 17, f Telehealth and COVID-19: e-covid-19-fact-sheet.pdfThe specific 1135 waiver requests should go to that CMS Location. Email addressesfor our Regional Offices are listed below: ROATLHSQ@cms.hhs.gov (Atlanta RO): Alabama, Florida, Georgia,Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. CMS TelemedicineGeneral Policy Guidance RODALDSC@cms.hhs.gov (Dallas RO): Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico,Oklahoma, and Texas.ROPHIDSC@cms.hhs.gov (Northeast Consortium): Delaware, District ofColumbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, NewJersey, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, NewHampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.ROCHISC@cms.hhs.gov (Midwest Consortium): Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.ROSFOSO@cms.hhs.gov (Western Consortium): Colorado, Montana, NorthDakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington,Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Territories.Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact overage and Payment Related to COVID-19 20-medicare-covid-19-factsheet.pdfHCPCS codes and the Physician Fee eralInformation/Telehealth/Telehealth-CodesNote, this toolkit is designed to provide information only and not intended to endorse any non-federal entities.

General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool KitFocus AreaTelehealthImplementation GuideList of Resources State Statute Guidance Basics on Setting upTelehealth Telehealth TechnicalAssistance Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact elehealth Start-Up and Resource /telehealthguide final 0.pdfCenter for Connected Health Policy: State Telehealth Laws andReimbursement Policies: versity of Arizona: Telemedicine lemedicine-checklistGreat Plains Telehealth Resources and Assistance Center: Checklist forInitiating Telehealth dfMid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center: MATRC Remote Patient MonitoringToolkit: olkit/Telehealth 101: /uploads/2018/09/Telehealth-101.pdfWashington State Guidebook, includes checklist for implementing a newtelehealth /BHSIA/FMHS/DSHSTelehealthGuidebook.pdfTelehealth Services-MLN Booklet: lthSrvcsfctsht.pdfSample documents (American Association of Sample-Documents.aspxNortheast Telehealth Resource Center: COVID-19 Epidemic TelehealthToolkit: h-ToolkitNETRC-March-2020.pdfOffice of the National Coordinator for Information Technology:https://healthit.govNational Consortium of Telehealth Resource esources/National Consortium of Telehealth Resource esource-documents/Telehealth Resource eet.pdfNote, this toolkit is designed to provide information only and not intended to endorse any non-federal entities.

General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool KitFocus AreaSelecting a VendorList of Resources Articles Patient and CommunityResources National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health: TelehealthTechnologies and Preparing to Select a Vendor: H-Telehealth-Vendor-Fact-Sheet-FINAL.pdfUniversity of Arizona: Directory Service Provider Telemedicine & edirectoryVirtually Perfect? Telemedicine for Mp2003539?af R&rss currentIssue&utm campaign hsric&utm medium email&utm source govdeliveryCoronavirus (COVID-19): lEmergency and Preparedness resources and tools from the U.S. Departmentof Health & Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary forPreparedness and Response (ASPR) g Response and Recovery for 19/Pages/default.aspxNote, this toolkit is designed to provide information only and not intended to endorse any non-federal entities.

General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool Kit Note, this toolkit is designed to provide information only and not intended to endorse any non-federal entities.