key: cord-0046783-um448esn
authors: Pollock, Kim; Setzen, Michael; Svider, Peter F.
title: Embracing telemedicine into your otolaryngology practice amid the COVID-19 crisis: An invited commentary
date: 2020-07-02
journal: Am J Otolaryngol
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102629
sha: 5c7b1380223832ae7ecfb87a98b33be01ee7a875
doc_id: 46783
cord_uid: um448esn

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On May 8, 2020, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) formally released an Interim Final Rule 1 that provided more changes to telemedicine coding, billing and reimbursement. This rule, informally released on April 30, 2020, placed additional Current Procedural Terminology® (CPT) codes on the approved telehealth code list including telephone calls.

The purpose of this Letter to the Editor is to highlight significant updates to our previously published article "Embracing telemedicine into your otolaryngology practice amid the COVID-19 crisis: An invited commentary" due to new guidance from CMS.

As of 4/23/20, Medicare requires modifier CR (Catastrophe/disaster related) to identify Part B line item services/items that are related to a COVID-19 waiver. Medicare will not deny claims due to the presence of this condition code or modifier for services/items not related to a COVID-19 waiver. 2 Modifier CR should be appended to telephone call codes and any other codes for services provided that are not considered telehealth services such as e-visits and digital check-ins.

Historically, CMS has not paid for telephone call codes 99441-99443. However, CMS did allow payment during the pandemic but at a nominal fee. As of 4/30/20, CMS is cross-walking the values for telephone CPT codes to higher valued established patient visits codes as shown in the Medicare now considers the telephone call codes to be a telehealth service 1, 3, 4 ; therefore, modifier 95 should be appended to the 99441-99443 codes. Tables 3 and 4 

Physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists are now allowed providers of certain services covered by Medicare's new telehealth services listing. 1,3

Basic Health Program, and Exchanges; Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on

Summary of Policies in the Calendar Year (CY) 2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Public Health Emergency (PHE) Interim Final Rules

Medicare's list of services payable under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule when