Outpatient Facility Coding Alert

Published on Thu Mar 17, 2016 PDF

Question: Is there any way we can bill a “site” code in addition to the procedure when televideo services are provided?

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: Telehealth, or telecommunication services, refers to the delivery of healthcare services using audio or video devices, typically in a live, two-way audiovisual conference between a patient and a provider who are at different locations. Telehealth encompasses a broad variety of technologies and tactics to deliver virtual medical, health, and education services.

The originating site refers to the location of the patient at the time of telehealth services. Medicare reimburses telehealth services only if the patient is present at the site that is either a rural health professional shortage area or any place outside a metropolitan area. Originating sites are specified as:

• The office of a provider
• A hospital
• A critical access hospital (CAH)
• A rural health clinic (RHC)
• A federally qualified health center (FQHC)
• A hospital based or CAH based renal dialysis center
• A skilled nursing facility (SNF)
• A community mental health center (CMHC).

Medicare Part B reimburses the originating site facility fee. An independent reimbursement is made for the professional services of the provider.

Your appropriate code will be Q3014 (Telehealth originating site facility fee).

Note: It must be an approved procedure for telehealth service.

Related Articles

Reader Question: 31615 Covers Both Surgical and Diagnostic Bronchoscopy

Reader Question: Use 45378 for Routine Colonoscopy, Not 45380

Surgical Focus: Follow These 4 Steps to Set Wrist Repair Coding on Track