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TMPPM Update to Clarify Delivery of Certain Behavioral Health Services Through Synchronous Audiovisual or Synchronous Telephone (Audio-Only) Technology

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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.

On December 1, 2023, the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) will update the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual (TMPPM), Behavioral Health and Case Management Services Handbook to clarify language for the delivery of mental health targeted case management (MHTCM), mental health rehabilitative (MHR), outpatient mental health, peer specialist, and substance use disorder (SUD) services through synchronous audiovisual or synchronous telephone (audio-only) technology.

In this update, references to provider, treating provider, or same provider will be replaced with billing provider or same billing provider, as applicable.

Same billing provider will be defined as providers within the same entity or organization as identified by the entity’s or organization’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) number or numbers if the entity or organization has multiple locations.

This update will also add language to clarify the in-person or synchronous audiovisual 6-month and every rolling 12-month requirements for providing services through synchronous telephone (audio-only) technology. The updated language will specify:

  • The MHTCM, MHR, outpatient mental health, peer specialist, and SUD services that may count toward the requirements.
  • The requirements may be delivered by another authorized professional or paraprofessional of the same billing provider as the one that renders services by synchronous telephone (audio-only) technology.

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