How to Keep Getting Paid for Telehealth in 2021

The flourishing of telehealth in 2020 was driven not just by necessity, but also by a significant loosening of governmental regulations and of reimbursement requirements by payers. Waivers were granted during the public health emergency that allowed the use of traditionally noncompliant communications platforms, such as Face Time and other consumer-level technologies. Practices have been able to grab most any technology and expect to get paid for the appointment.

Today, both states and payers are already changing their rules and laws rapidly. A good first step for many practices is to wean themselves away from noncompliant communications to immediate implementation of a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant telehealth solution, which will be essential when the public health emergency is terminated.