ASHA Signs on to Letter Requesting CMS Clarify Telehealth Billing in Facilities

ASHA has signed a joint letter [PDF] with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) requesting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to issue guidance on billing for telehealth services provided by speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists in facility settings such as skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation agencies, and hospital outpatient departments. In recent stakeholder calls, CMS staff indicated that services provided by these clinicians would not be covered telehealth services after the end of the federally declared public health emergency because they are billed via the facility claim form, the UB04. The three therapy organizations submitted this letter to demonstrate to CMS this interpretation runs counter to existing regulatory policy and conflicts with the intent and authority provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. 

What’s Next

ASHA members providing Part B services to Medicare beneficiaries in facility settings should check with their employers to determine if telehealth services will be provided after May 11, 2023. Additionally, ASHA will be working to ensure that CMS revises its interpretation and maintains access to these important services through December 31, 2024, as allowed under federal law. 

Questions?

Please contact ASHA’s health care and education policy team at reimbursement@asha.org.