On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration its intent to  the COVID-19 public well being emergency (PHE) on Might 11, 2023. For Federally Certified Well being Facilities (FQHCs), flexibilities provided below the PHE expanded alternatives to be paid for telehealth companies, significantly for Medicare sufferers. Any FQHC counting on PHE flexibilities ought to start getting ready for the tip of the PHE to make sure its service choices are in compliance with post-pandemic necessities.

Medicare Telehealth Reimbursement for FQHCs Will Be Sharply Restricted for Most Companies After December 31, 2024

Though the PHE will formally finish on Might 11, 2023, Part 4113 of the (CAA) prolonged the Medicare authority for an FQHC to obtain cost for telehealth companies to December 31, 2024. Until additional adjustments are made, nevertheless, Medicare cost to FQHCs for distant-site telehealth companies will largely develop into unavailable after December 31, 2024. 

Throughout the PHE, FQHCs have been allowed to function distant website suppliers furnishing telehealth companies by interactive real-time audio and video expertise, and in some cases, by audio-only expertise. The Facilities for Medicare & Medicaid Companies (CMS) has been required to develop particular cost charges for these telehealth companies for the interval through which they’re approved. Well being care practitioners furnishing distant website telehealth companies have been in a position to take action from any location, together with their house, throughout the time through which they’re working for the FQHC. Coated companies have included all telehealth companies included on the checklist of Medicare telehealth companies below the Doctor Price Schedule. In distinction, as soon as the PHE flexibilities lapse (together with the flexibilities prolonged by the CAA), FQHCs could not function distant practitioners for telehealth companies, excluding psychological well being companies.

As well as, throughout the PHE a affected person’s house has been allowed as an originating website — that means the affected person could also be bodily positioned at house whereas receiving FQHC coated telehealth companies. After December 31, 2024, sufferers’ properties is not going to be eligible originating websites, and most FQHCs could function the originating website for telehealth companies solely when positioned in a rural well being skilled scarcity space or a county that isn’t included in a metropolitan statistical space. One exception permits the affected person’s house to be an originating website for sufferers receiving remedy for substance use issues and associated circumstances.

Different extra restricted Medicare telehealth flexibilities will finish for FQHCs earlier. For instance, on Might 11, 2023, when the PHE ends, FQHCs will not be capable to invoice for digital communication companies with out qualifying in-person visits or post-virtual go to circumstances, nor enable affected person consent to happen on the time of digital check-ins and e-visits. Moreover, on December 31, 2023, the pliability permitting FQHCs to make the most of interactive audio and video telecommunications expertise to fulfill direct supervision necessities will finish.

FQHCs Will Have Extra Flexibility to Furnish Psychological Well being Companies By way of Telehealth

After December 31, 2024, psychological well being companies should be furnished by telehealth by medical psychologists, medical social employees, or different FQHC practitioners offering psychological well being companies to sufferers positioned at their properties, topic to the next circumstances:

• the affected person should have an in-person psychological well being go to six months earlier than the telecommunications go to; and
• there typically have to be an in-person psychological well being go to not less than each twelve months throughout energetic remedy.

FQHCs could present such psychological well being companies through audio-only expertise when the affected person isn’t able to or doesn’t consent to video expertise. 

Medicaid Telehealth Reimbursement for FQHCs After the PHE Varies by State

States have extra latitude in structuring Medicaid FQHC funds, together with whether or not and reimburse FQHCs for the supply of telehealth companies. that telehealth flexibilities for Medicaid and the Youngsters’s Well being Insurance coverage Program aren’t tied to the tip of the PHE, and in reality have been provided by many state Medicaid packages lengthy earlier than the pandemic. This assertion displays the CMS place that for Medicaid functions telehealth is a technique of delivering companies, and never a separate service.

Nonetheless, many states sought emergency state plan amendments to change telehealth protection and cost guidelines throughout the previous few years, which can end in vital protection and reimbursement adjustments as soon as the PHE ends. In some circumstances, nevertheless, states have already applied new laws or state plan authority to make emergency adjustments everlasting. FQHCs ought to monitor evolving state legislative actions and Medicaid company steering to judge how telehealth protection and reimbursement guidelines could change of their states after the PHE.

Virtually talking, the influence the tip of the PHE may have on telehealth companies supplied by FQHCs — significantly with respect to Medicare sufferers — can be profound. FQHCs ought to take steps now to convey operations into compliance with the post-PHE world earlier than December 31, 2024.

For extra info on telemedicine, telehealth, digital care, distant affected person monitoring, digital well being, and different well being improvements, together with the staff, publications, and consultant expertise, go to .