Medicaid: Telehealth Expansion and Related Resources
STATUS: Active. Expires day after end of federal public health emergency (PHE). The federal PHE is currently set to expire Jan. 2023.
Medicaid: Transition from Temporary to Permanent Synchronous Telehealth Coverage Policy and Billing Guidelines
STATUS: Expired Dec. 31, 2021. Some policies may have been extended until end of federal public health emergency. See link above.
Medicaid: Alert 019: Opioid Treatment Program Phone Calls
STATUS: Active, until ForwardHealth announces otherwise
Medicaid: Temporary Changes to Telehealth Policy and Clarifications for Behavioral Health and Targeted Case Management Providers
STATUS: ForwardHealth will publish additional guidance that includes a reasonable timeframe to allow providers to adjust to the expiration of the temporary policies addressed in this ForwardHealth Update.
Medicaid: Changes to ForwardHealth Telehealth Policies for Covered Services, Originating Sites, and Federally Qualified Health Centers
STATUS: Permanent
Medicaid: Additional Services to be Provided Via Telehealth
STATUS: Active, until rescinded or modified when emergency orders issued by the state and federal governments expire
Medicaid: Changes to Narcotic Treatment Services
STATUS: Active, until further notice
Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver: Appendix K – Children’s Long Term Support Waiver Program
STATUS: Extended to no later than six months after the expiration of the national public health emergency, see below.
Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver: Appendix K Extension – Children’s Long Term Support Waiver Program
STATUS: Active, no later than six months after the expiration of the national public health emergency
Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver: Appendix K –Family Care Waiver Renewal 2020
STATUS: Extended to no later than six months after the expiration of the national public health emergency, see below.
Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver: Appendix K Extension – Family Care Waiver Renewal 2020
STATUS: Active, no later than six months after the expiration of the national public health emergency
Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver: Appendix K – Self-Directed Support Waiver, Intellectual/developmental Disability and Aged/Physical Disability
STATUS: Extended to no later than six months after the expiration of the national public health emergency, see below.
Medicaid 1915(c) Waiver: Appendix K Extension – Self-Directed Support Waiver, Intellectual/developmental Disability and Aged/Physical Disability
STATUS: Active, no later than six months after the expiration of the national public health emergency
PERMANENT TELEHEALTH COVERAGE POLICY AND BILLING GUIDELINES
*Only synchronous (two-way, real-time, interactive communications) and remote physiological monitoring services identified under permanent policy may be reimbursed when provided via telehealth effective on the first day of the first month after the federal public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic expires.
Temporary telehealth policy will remain in effect until the switch to permanent policy occurs when ForwardHealth will require providers to follow permanent billing guidelines for synchronous telehealth and remote physiological monitoring services. Telehealth-related updates to the ForwardHealth Online Handbook will be available following the implementation of permanent policy.
PERMANENT TELEDENTISTRY POLICY
*ForwardHealth will transition to permanent telehealth coverage policy and billing guidelines for synchronous (two-way, real-time, interactive communications) telehealth services effective on the first day of the first month after the public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic expires.
This telehealth coverage policy will include coverage for synchronous teledentistry services. Asynchronous teledentistry policy is still in development and will be published in a future ForwardHealth Update. Temporary public health emergency allowances, including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 flexibilities, will continue through the end of the federal health public emergency unless providers are notified otherwise in writing prior to that time.
PERMANENT TELEHEALTH POLICY FOR SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES
*ForwardHealth will transition to permanent telehealth coverage policy and billing guidelines for school-based services effective on the first day of the first month after the federal public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic expires.
Temporary telehealth policy will remain in effect until the switch to permanent policy occurs. Telehealth related updates to the ForwardHealth Online Handbook will be available following the implementation of permanent policy. Refer to ForwardHealth Update 2021-50, titled “Permanent Telehealth Coverage Policy and Billing Guidelines,” for additional information. This Update highlights permanent telehealth policy for school-based services in support of the child’s needs in the virtual environment.
Temporary public health emergency allowances including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 flexibilities will continue through the end of the federal health public emergency unless providers are notified otherwise in writing prior to that time.
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