NC Medicaid has temporarily modified its Telemedicine and Telepsychiatry Clinical Coverage Policy to enable eligible providers to deliver family planning services to NC Medicaid Be Smart Family Planning Medicaid program (MAFDN) eligible beneficiaries via telemedicine or virtual patient communication (telephone call, only) in light of social distancing measures that may prevent in-person visits.
Topics Related to COVID-19
NC Medicaid continues provide support to Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) and Personal Care Services (PCS) and Home Health (HH) providers to strengthen their infection prevention and management activities as they serve beneficiaries at high risk of contracting COVID-19.
This bulletin temporarily enables eligible local health departments to deliver maternal support services via telemedicine in light of social distancing measures that may prevent in-person visits.
Federal law requires all Medicaid providers in North Carolina to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Rehabilitation Act, which includes providing reasonable accommodations for people living with disabilities.
This bulletin replaces SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #68 in its entirety. NC Medicaid is directing increased financial assistance to North Carolina Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) and Adult Care Homes (ACH) to support addressing the increased costs of caring for COVID positive (COVID+) residents in a congregate care setting.
On March 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an amendment of 42 CFR 440.70 that included two policy changes that affect hospice services for Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective March 30, 2020, NC Medicaid is adjusting hospice requirements currently in Clinical Coverage Policy 3D, Hospice Services to align with these recent CMS regulatory changes.
NOTE: SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #79 has been replaced in its entirety by SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #103. This Bulletin clarifies that skilled nursing facilities (SNF) are eligible originating sites for telemedicine visits and enables such facilities to bill for a facility fee when a beneficiary located in a SNF receives care via telemedicine from an eligible remote provider.
NC Medicaid is temporarily adding Telemedicine and Telepsychiatry clinical coverage codes for specialty providers and increasing reimbursement rates for telephonic visits and primary care medical home per member per month fees to help primary and specialty care providers continue to serve patients during the COVID-19 emergency.
Update (May 8, 2020)
NC Medicaid has temporarily modified its Telemedicine and Telepsychiatry Clinical Coverage Policy to better enable the delivery of remote care to Medicaid and Health Choice beneficiaries.