Medicare To Pay For Psychotherapy Via Telehealth In 2015

Starting January 1, 2015, Medicare added psychotherapy services to the list of telehealth services for beneficiaries in rural census tracts. The psychotherapy services can be billed using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes 90845, 90846, and 90847. The reimbursement rate to the remote professional is the same as for an office visit. The site where the patient receives services is paid an originating facility fee.

Medicare released its decision to cover psychotherapy delivered by telehealth technologies in the finalized Medicare outpatient physician fee schedule for calendar year 2015. Medicare telehealth services are available to  Medicare beneficiaries who live in geographic areas . . .