Telemedicine in Texas

The Tele-Future is Now: Will Telemedicine's Footprint Be Permanent Post-COVID-19?

 

 
Going forward, medicine will have to ask of telemedicine’s new, broader role in health care: Is it here to stay? Or is its rise merely the product of temporary, extraordinary circumstances? Physicians tell Texas Medicine that depends how telemedicine will be regulated and paid for.

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Telemedicine: Getting Started

 

As COVID-19 spreads through our communities, there are steps you can take to minimize contact
with patients. A primary step is to implement telemedicine. TMA has developed some quick tips to help you get started.

Read the Guide  

To help Texas physicians safely and effectively treat patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, several changes to telemedicine visits have taken effect, including payment for services and which platforms can be used. 

Insurers to Cover Visits  
Governor Abbott waived certain regulations and directed the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to issue an emergency rule relating to telemedicine provided through state-regulated insurance plans. Contracted or preferred physicians and other health care professionals will be eligible for payment from TDI-regulated insurance plans for medical visits they conduct over the phone instead of in person at the same rate they would receive for in-person visits.  

HIPAA Restrictions Suspended  
Effective immediately, the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights will not penalize physicians for noncompliance with HIPAA when they serve patients in good faith through common, nonpublic-facing communications technologies, such as FaceTime or Skype. 

Medicare Telehealth Expands  
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has temporarily broadened telehealth access to Medicare patients. Medicare can pay for office visits furnished via telehealth in all areas of the country (not only rural areas) and in any setting, including in a patient’s home. Physicians may reduce or waive cost-sharing for telehealth visits paid by federal health care programs.

Learn More About These Changes 

Telemedicine Vendor Options

The following list reveals the key functionality of the various telemedicine products as reported by the vendors on their own websites. TMA has not vetted these companies but wanted to provide information for physicians seeking to implement telemedicine into their practice. This list is not exhaustive and is separated by companies offering stand-alone products and those that have electronic health record (EHR) integrations.

Be sure to execute a business associate agreement with the telemedicine vendor.

View the Vendor Details

Telemedicine Evaluation Criteria

Telemedicine has the opportunity to transform a physician’s practice. As the service becomes more readily available through health plans and employers, patients are expecting more from their own physician. It makes sense for a patient to have the choice to see their own doctor for continuity of care and comfort in times of illness and uncertainty.

TMA created this evaluation tool to help Texas physicians with some of the criteria to consider in the selection of telemedicine vendor products.

See the Telemedicine Vendor Evaluation Criteria

Policies, Procedures and Forms for Telemedicine Services

Administration and Billing

• Appointment Scheduling Cancellations and No Shows
• Patient Check In and Check Out
• Patient Consent
• Patient Selection
• Physician Surroundings and Staff
• Prescribing and Medication Management
• Provider to Provider Communication
• Referrals
• Security and Emergency Protocol
• Telemedicine Informed Consent Form
• Telemedicine Quick Reference Chart for Payers
• Telemedicine Quick Reference Sheet for Patients
• Telemedicine Quick Reference Sheet for Practices
• Telemedicine Referral Form
• Telemedicine Referral Log
• Telemedicine Services Evaluation Form
• Telemedicine Visit Checklist

Telemedicine Payment

Texas Medicaid, CHIP Changes Extended Through March

Health Plans Extend Telemedicine, Cost-Share Waivers

Payer's Coronavirus Changes and Waivers

Payer Policies for Telemedicine Services

Insurance Payments for Telemedicine Visits Extended to September

Which Plans Pay for Telemedicine Services – and for How Long?

Telemedicine Billing Tips: Which Codes to Use and When

Telephone-Only Consultation Coverage and Payment Vary

Telemedicine and Patients

• Help Your Patients Help You with Telemedicine

  Let Your Patients Know You Use Telemedicine

  Are You Ready for Telemedicine Prime Time?

How to Prescribe Controlled Substances Via Telemedicine Under COVID-19 Waivers

 

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will allow physicians to issue prescriptions for all schedule II-V controlled substances via telemedicine as long as specific conditions are met.

Get the Specifics  

TMB Extends Waiver Allowing Pain Prescription Refills via Telemedicine

 

The Texas Medical Board has extended a waiver to March 2 that allows for refills of prescriptions for chronic pain patients who recently saw their doctor via telemedicine.

Learn More About the Extension  

Remote Patient Monitoring

Safely Incorporate Remote Patient Monitoring Into Your Practice

Want to Add Remote Patient Monitoring to Your Telemedicine Services?

Texas Laws and Regulations Relating to Telemedicine

How well do you understand Texas’ laws and regulations relating to telemedicine? This document describes the new Texas legal and regulatory requirements that apply to a physician providing telemedicine medical services.

This white paper was updated in August 2019.

Don't miss out on free CME for TMA members. This publication qualifies for 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. 

Read the White Paper  

Texas Physicians Join The Telehealth Initiative to Improve Access to Quality Health Care

 

The Texas Medical Association (TMA) joined The Physicians Foundation, American Medical Association, Florida Medical Association, and Massachusetts Medical Society in launching The Telehealth Initiative to help physicians start telehealth care. With the current health crisis, the organizations sped the initiative’s launch to help physicians shift to telehealth to meet patients’ needs from their homes where they cannot transmit COVID-19 or other diseases to other people.

Learn About the Initiative  

Telemedicine and COVID-19 – What You Need to Know and Do

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has made telemedicine the way to see and consult with all patients, not just those who have confirmed or suspected cases.

To make telemedicine available to more patients and their physicians during the emergency declaration period, many state and federal rules and regulations regarding telehealth have changed

Find Out More  

Making Telemedicine Work 

 

A growing number of physicians are embracing telemedicine.

Because most physicians still have no first-hand experience with it, they have many questions about how it will help them and their patients.

Learn How Physicians Are Using Telemedicine  

TMA Helping You Use Telemedicine More Effectively

 

Telemedicine is rapidly evolving, and the number of physicians who use it continues to grow.

Whether you use telemedicine every day in your practice or you’re just starting to consider how it might benefit your patients, you probably have plenty of questions and concerns about using it effectively and within compliance.

That’s why the Texas Medical Association formed a task force that will help TMA serve physicians who want to integrate telemedicine into their practice.

Get the Scoop