Behavioral health telehealth flexibilities for Medicare Advantage members to continue after PHE ends

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services temporarily waived certain requirements and allowed flexibilities for providing telehealth services for behavioral health care. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, extended these flexibilities through Dec. 31, 2024. Some of these flexibilities will become permanent.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network will follow Medicare telehealth guidelines for our Medicare Plus Blue℠ and BCN Advantage℠  members.

Flexibilities becoming permanent for Medicare members:

• Members will continue to have the same coverage for telehealth services for behavioral health care received in their homes.
• Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics can serve as distant site providers for behavioral health telehealth services.
• The originating site for behavioral health telehealth services has no geographic restrictions.
• Providers can deliver behavioral health telehealth services using audio-only communication platforms.
• Rural hospital emergency departments are accepted as originating sites.

Temporary Medicare flexibilities that will end on Dec. 31, 2024:

• The requirement for an in-person visit within six months of an initial behavioral health telehealth service, and annually thereafter, is waived until Dec. 31, 2024.

For more information on these changes, visit the Telehealth policy changes after the COVID-19 public health emergency** webpage on telehealth.hhs.gov.

**Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network don’t own or control this website.