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CMS-1403-FC
that were appropriate to the originating sites eligible in
CY 2007. At that time, SNFs were not defined in the
statute as originating sites. (See 71 FR 69657.)
Section 149 of the MIPPA recognizes SNFs as telehealth
originating sites, effective for services furnished on or
after January 1, 2009. In light of this provision, the
American Telemedicine Association (ATA) urged us to add
nursing facility care codes to the list of telehealth
services for CY 2009, as requested in 2005.
Response: Section 149 of the MIPPA did not add any
services to the approved telehealth list. Currently,
telehealth may substitute for a face-to-face, “hands on”
encounter for professional consultations, office visits,
office psychiatry services, and a limited number of other
PFS services that we have determined to be appropriate for
telehealth. We will continue to review requests for
additions to this list using our existing criteria.
Telehealth is a delivery mechanism for otherwise
payable Part B services. Although the requested nursing
facility services are not on the approved telehealth list,
we will pay eligible distant site physicians or
practitioners for eligible Medicare telehealth services if
the service is separately payable under the PFS when
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