SECTION 133.30. Telemedicine, Telehealth, and Teledentistry Services

(a) This section applies to medical billing and reimbursement for telemedicine, telehealth, and teledentistry services provided on or after September 1, 2021, to injured employees in the Texas workers' compensation system, including injured employees subject to a workers' compensation health care network established under Insurance Code Chapter 1305.

(b) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "telemedicine services" means telemedicine medical services as defined in Occupations Code §111.001;

(2) "telehealth services" means telehealth services as defined in Occupations Code §111.001; and

(3) "teledentistry services" means teledentistry dental services as defined in Occupations Code §111.001.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a health care provider must bill for telemedicine, telehealth, and teledentistry services according to applicable:

(1) Medicare payment policies, as defined in §134.203 of this title (relating to Medical Fee Guideline for Professional Services);

(2) Medicaid payment policies, in accordance with the dental fee guideline in §134.303 of this title (relating to 2005 Dental Fee Guideline); and

(3) provisions of Chapter 133 of this title.

(d) A health care provider may bill and be reimbursed for telemedicine, telehealth, or teledentistry services regardless of where the injured employee is located at the time the telemedicine, telehealth, or teledentistry services are provided.

(e) The provisions of this section take precedence over any conflicting provisions adopted or used by:

(1) the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in administering the Medicare program; and

(2) the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in administering the Texas Medicaid Program.

Source Note: The provisions of this §133.30 adopted to be effective May 6, 2018, 43 TexReg 2587; amended to be effective August 22, 2023, 48 TexReg 4483