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CMS-1403-FC
the originating site. The originating site facility fee is
a separately billable Part B payment, and we pay it to
eligible originating sites outside of other payment
methodologies. As discussed in section X. of this final
rule with comment period, the originating site facility fee
for CY 2009 is $23.72.
Other than adding certain entities as originating
sites for payment of telehealth services, the MIPPA did not
change the existing telehealth eligibility criteria, or
payment and billing requirements related to telehealth
services. Therefore, for the telehealth originating sites
added by section 149 of the MIPPA, we are adopting policies
similar to existing policies with respect to the provision
of, and payment for, telehealth services in the various
originating sites. We are adopting these policies for CY
2009 on an interim final basis, and will respond to any
comments and finalize our policies in subsequent
rulemaking.
Telehealth is a delivery mechanism for otherwise
payable Part B services. We pay distant site physicians or
practitioners for Medicare telehealth services only if the
service is separately payable under the PFS when furnished
in a face-to-face encounter at that location. For example,
we pay distant site physicians or practitioners for
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