End of the PHE Resources
The national public health emergency put in place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to expire on May 11, 2023. This page contains information to help providers prepare for that transition.
The WyTN is committed to continued offerings of technical assistance and guidance as Wyoming’s medical community navigates the transition to post-public health emergency operations.
Please see the resources available here to help you navigate the changes. Be sure to check back as WyTN will update resources as they become available.
Key Changes
Medicare Virtual Home Visits for Behavioral and Mental Healthcare: Two permanent changes to telehealth policy expands where Medicare patients can receive virtual care.
- No geographic restrictions! Patients may now receive telehealth services for behavioral and mental health care from their home.
- Medicare may require the patient to schedule an in-person appointment. This needs to occur within 6 or 12 months (depending on services) to continue receiving care virtually.
Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Centers as Distant Site Providers: This policy change will allow federally qualified health centers and rural health centers to remain as distant site providers for behavioral and mental health. Telehealth policy defines a distant site provider as the location of the provider giving virtual care.
Audio-Only Visits: These visits continue to be an important tool to reach individuals in rural communities with limited broadband access.
- Audio-only visits will be allowed, specifically for mental health visits.
- Providers who want to offer mental health services via audio-only will need to meet certain conditions, including a 6 month in-person / prior 12 month in-person subsequent visit requirement.
Rural Emergency Department Accepted as Originating Site: This permanent policy change allows patients to be at a rural emergency hospital (REH) department to receive telehealth services. In this instance, a patient may receive virtual care through specialists located within the facility or network.
Source: https://www.aha.org/special-bulletin/2023-02-07-public-health-emergency-end-may-11
Key PHE Related Provisions for Telehealth Services
Ending May 11, 2023:
- Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled substances without an in-person visit.
- Resume enforcement of providers using platforms or software that is not HIPAA secure.
Ending December 31, 2023:
- Reimbursement for cardiac, intensive cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services provided via telehealth under the physician fee schedule.
- Reimbursement parity for services performed via telehealth that typically would have been performed in-person.
- Permission for physicians and non-physician practitioners to directly supervise diagnostic services virtually through audio/video real-time communications technology (excluding audio-only).
Extended through December 31, 2024
- Waiver of geographic and location requirements.
- Reimbursement for telehealth services furnished by physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and audiologists.
- Reimbursement for audio-only services.
- Reimbursement for telehealth services furnished by federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
- Use of telehealth to re-certify eligibility for hospice.
Additionally, implementation of the in-person visit requirement for initiation of tele-behavioral health services is delayed until the end of 2024.
Source: https://www.aha.org/special-bulletin/2023-02-07-public-health-emergency-end-may-11
Additional Resources
Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP)
- Final CY 2023 Physician Fee Schedule Fact Sheet
- Preparing for the End of the PHE: How Federal Telehealth Policy is Expected to Change in 2023
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Coronavirus Waivers and Flexibilities
- CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the Transition Forward from the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
- CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19 (see page ten)
- How Telehealth Policy is Evolving at the State Level
- Physicians and Other Clinicians: CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19
Federal Register: The Daily Journal of the United States Government
Harvard Kennedy School
Rules for Prescribing Controlled Drugs Via Telemedicine: A Research Roundup and Explainer
