Telehealth Policy Change: Telehealth Place Of Service Code (POS) 

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that there is to be a change in the telehealth place of service (POS) code for billing Medicare and Medicaid Services. The change in the telehealth policy will take effect on January 1, 2022, and be implemented on April 4, 2022. CMS has stated that this new telehealth place of service code will help them make better-informed decisions regarding future telehealth service needs. The following excerpt is provided for your convenience:

The POS Workgroup is revising the description of POS code 02 and creating a new POS code 10 to meet the overall industry needs, as follows:

1. POS 02: Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home Descriptor: The location where health services and health-related services are provided or received through telecommunication technology. The patient is not located in their home when receiving health services or health-related services through telecommunication technology.

2. POS 10: Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home Descriptor: The location where health services and health-related services are provided or received through telecommunication technology. The patient is located in their home (which is a location other than a hospital or other facility where the patient receives care MLN Matters: MM12427 Related CR 12427 Page 2 of 2 in a private residence) when receiving health services or health-related services through telecommunication technology. Medicare hasn’t identified a need for a new POS code 10. Our MACs will instruct their providers to continue to use the Medicare billing instructions for Telehealth claims in Pub. 100-04; Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 12, Section 190.

Links for more information can be found in the CMS publication entitled, New/Modifications to the Place of Service (POS) Codes for Telehealth. Providers seeking reimbursement from private carriers are advised to request clarification from each carrier directly.