![]() Virtual doctor's visits cost about the same as an office visit, without the limitation of office hours and the inconvenience of travel time. Physicians who consult virtually can issue prescription drugs for a variety of acute care items, and can call the prescription in to the pharmacy you choose for easy pickup. Virtual doctor visits are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This service provides medical consultation via telephone/video technology for acute health issues such as cold/flu type symptoms, and minor eye, ear and respiratory infections. However, CMS is allowing health care providers to waive cost sharing for telemedicine visits.Virtual doctor visits (also known as telehealth) are provided by each of the medical insurance options. Normally, you'd pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for these services, and the Part B deductible applies. In addition, Medicare covers e-visits, during which you communicate with your doctor or other provider (nurse practitioner, social worker or physical therapist, for instance) via an online patient portal. These visits are often done to determine whether you need an office visit, and you don't need to be an established patient. You can have a “virtual check-in,” in which you communicate briefly with a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant through a patient portal, email, video, secure text messaging or phone.More than 3 million beneficiaries have had telemedicine visits over the phone. The types of appointments that can be conducted on the phone have been expanded to include patient education and behavioral health services. Phone visits are covered at the same rate as office visits. You can have a phone visit with your doctor.In addition, you can use a videoconferencing service you're familiar with, such as FaceTime or Skype. You can use a smartphone, tablet or computer for a telemedicine visit.You can see a provider who is licensed to practice in another state.(Prior to the pandemic, only doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants or other health care providers could see you via telemedicine.) You can see a broader range of health care professionals - physical and occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists, to name a few - and you don't need an established relationship with a health care provider in order to receive care.Prior to the pandemic, they had to live in a rural area and obtain services at a hospital, clinic or other medical facility. Beneficiaries can have telemedicine visits at home.Cigna is waiving copays, deductibles and coinsurance for in-network medical or behavioral telemedicine visits for MA beneficiaries until the end of December. For example, Aetna is waiving out-of-pocket costs for in-network primary care and specialist telemedicine visits for individual and group MA plan members through Sept. Many health plans are waiving cost sharing for MA beneficiaries. They may offer more telemedicine services than original Medicare. More than half of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans now offer telemedicine services as part of the basic benefit.In addition, the Office of the Inspector General is allowing doctors to waive the 20 percent copay for telemedicine visits. However, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act waives cost sharing (coinsurance and deductibles) under Medicare Part B for COVID-19 testing-related services. Original Medicare beneficiaries pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for a doctor's services, and the Part B deductible applies. During the public health emergency, CMS is paying for telehealth services at the same rate as in-person visits.
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