Medicare provides coverage for remote consultations (also known as “short communication technology-based interactions”) with your physician or certain other healthcare professionals, such as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, or physician associates, utilizing audio and video communication tools, like your telephone or computer, without the necessity of visiting the physician’s clinic. Your physician can also perform distant evaluations through the examination of photos or video images you submit to determine if an in-person visit is required.
Your physician or another healthcare professional can reply to you using a telephone call, online communication, secure text messaging, electronic mail, or a patient health portal.
These offerings are accessible to you if you fulfill the following criteria:
• You have previously discussed the initiation of these types of interactions with your physician or healthcare professional.
• The remote consultation is not connected to a medical service you received within the previous 7 days and will not result in a medical service within the next 24 hours (or at the nearest available time).
• You give your verbal agreement to the remote consultation, and your physician notes this authorization within your medical records. Your doctor may obtain a single consent that will be applicable for these services throughout the span of one year.
