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HB4: Interim Guidance for HTW Non-Behavioral Health Audio-Only Medical Office Visits

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Note: Texas Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) must provide all medically necessary, Medicaid-covered services to Medicaid members who are enrolled in their MCO. Administrative procedures, such as prior authorization, precertification, referrals, and claims and encounter data filing, may differ from traditional Medicaid (fee-for-service) and from MCO to MCO. Providers should contact the member’s specific MCO for details.

Effective May 12, 2023, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will authorize Healthy Texas Women (HTW) providers to submit claims for reimbursement for telephone (audio-only) established patient office visits for non-behavioral health (non-BH) services specified in this article.

This article serves as interim guidance through December 1, 2023, as HHSC is working to update the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual (TMPPM). The TMPPM update may provide additional benefit requirements and restrictions. The draft benefit language will be posted for public comment before it is finalized and made effective.

Note: To indicate audio-only remote delivery, providers should no longer use modifier 95 (audiovisual) and should use modifier 93 (audio-only).

Effective for dates of service May 12, 2023, through December 1, 2023, HHSC will authorize Medicaid providers to submit claims for reimbursement of the following non-BH services for established clients by synchronous telephone (audio-only) technology when appended with modifier 93. Refer to the TMPPM, Behavioral Health and Case Management Services Handbook and Children’s Services Handbook, for additional information about Texas Medicaid behavioral health benefits.

Description of Services

Procedure Codes

Established Patient Office Visit

99212, 99213, 99214, 99215

Note: These procedure codes are allowed for synchronous audiovisual delivery as outlined in the TMPPM.

Modifier for Non-BH Audio-Only Telemedicine Services

Description

93

Delivered by synchronous telephone (audio-only) technology

Note: For non-BH services, procedure code 99211 may not be delivered through synchronous telephone (audio-only) technology but may be delivered through synchronous audiovisual technology when appended with modifier 95.

For all the services listed above, providers must follow the standard of care requirements outlined in their licensing regulations. The service should only be delivered through synchronous telephone (audio-only) technology if the provider determines it is clinically appropriate and the client receiving the services or the recipient’s legally authorized representative agrees.

Whenever possible, HHSC encourages face-to-face interaction, such as in-person visits or synchronous audiovisual technology, in place of telephone (audio-only) technology for telemedicine and telehealth services.

The service should only be provided by audio-only delivery as medically necessary and in alignment with Section 111.007 of the Texas Occupations Code.

Providers can refer to the TMPPM, Behavioral Health and Case Management Services Handbook and Healthy Texas Women Program Handbook, for additional information about Texas Medicaid behavioral health benefits.

For more information about current telemedicine and telehealth benefits and services, providers can refer to the Telecommunication Services Handbook.

For more information, call the TMHP Contact Center at 800-925-9126.