Telehealth enables a provider who is located at a distant site to render the service remotely to a member located at an originating site using a combination of interactive video, audio, and externally acquired images through a networking environment.
“Telehealth” means the use of telecommunications technology by a Medicaid-enrolled provider to deliver functionally equivalent health care services including: assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, and transfer of medically relevant data. Telehealth may include real-time interactive audio-only communication. Telehealth does not include communication between a provider and a member that consists solely of an email, text, or fax transmission.
“Functionally equivalent” means that when a service is provided via telehealth, the transmission of information must be of sufficient quality as to be the same level of service as an in-person visit. Transmission of voices, images, data, or video must be clear and understandable.
SOURCE: WI ForwardHealth Online Handbook. Topic #510 Telehealth & Telehealth Definitions Topic #22873. (Accessed Aug. 2023).
“In-person” refers to when the provider rendering a service and the member receiving that service are located together physically in the same space. In-person services are not considered to be delivered through telehealth, including audio-visual telehealth, unless there are applicable supervision components and requirements that are rendered through telehealth outside of the direct patient contact by the provider.
SOURCE: WI ForwardHealth Update: Expanded Coverage for Permanent Telehealth Policy, No. 2023-01, Jan. 2023, & Telehealth Definitions Topic #22873. (Accessed Aug. 2023).
“Face-to-face” refers to requirements that can be met either in-person or through real-time, interactive audio-visual telehealth. An interactive telehealth service with face-to-face components must be functionally equivalent to an in-person service. It is delivered from outside the physical presence of a Medicaid member by using audio-visual technology, and there is no reduction in quality, safety, or effectiveness. ForwardHealth does not consider a “face-to-face” requirement to be met by audio-only or asynchronous delivery of services.
Under telehealth policy, “direct” refers to an in-person contact between a member and a provider. Direct services often require a provider to physically touch or examine the recipient and delegation is not appropriate.
SOURCE: WI ForwardHealth Telehealth Definitions Topic #22873, WI ForwardHealth Update: Expanded Coverage for Permanent Telehealth Policy, No. 2023-01, Jan. 2023, (Accessed Aug. 2023).
“Telehealth” means a practice of health care delivery, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, or transfer of medically relevant data by means of audio, video, or data communications that are used either during a patient visit or a consultation or are used to transfer medically relevant data about a patient. “Telehealth” does not include communications delivered solely by audio-only telephone, facsimile machine, or electronic mail unless the department specifies otherwise by rule.
“Asynchronous telehealth service” is telehealth that is used to transmit medical data about a patient to a provider when the transmission is not a 2-way, real-time, interactive communication.
“Interactive telehealth” means telehealth delivered using multimedia communication technology that permits 2-way, real-time, interactive communications between a certified provider of Medical Assistance at a distant site and the Medical Assistance recipient or the recipient’s provider.
SOURCE: WI Statute Sec. 49.45 (61). (Accessed Aug. 2023).
“Telehealth” means the use of telecommunications technology by a Medicaid-enrolled provider to deliver health care services including assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, or transfer of medically relevant data in a functionally equivalent manner as that of an in-person contact:
- Telehealth may include real-time interactive audio-only communication.
- Telehealth does not include communication between a certified provider and a member (for example, a child) that consists solely of an email, text, or fax transmission.
- School documentation may use a different term to represent telehealth such as, but not limited to, teleservice, virtual learning platform, or virtual services. ForwardHealth will accept the Individual Education Program (IEP) team’s chosen term for telehealth used in documentation.
SOURCE: ForwardHealth Update, No. 2022-02, January 2022. (Accessed Aug. 2023).
“Telehealth” means the use of telecommunications technology by a certified provider to deliver services allowable under s. DHS 107.02 (5) and ss. 49.45 (61) and 49.46 (2) (b) 21. to 23., Stats., including assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, or transfer of medically relevant data in a functionally equivalent manner as that of an in-person contact.
“Telehealth” may include real-time interactive audio-only communication.
“Telehealth” does not include communication between a certified provider and a recipient that consists solely of an electronic mail message, text, or facsimile transmission.
SOURCE: Department of Health Services Administrative Rules Sec. 101.03, (Accessed Aug. 2023).
Clarification of Definitions for Existing Telehealth Policy
Under permanent telehealth policy, “direct” refers to face-to-face, in-person contact between a member and a provider. This is a change from how the term “direct” has been used under temporary telehealth policy. Under temporary telehealth policy flexibilities in place during the PHE, direct telehealth services were defined to include delivery through real-time, synchronous telecommunications (such as phone, audio-only, or audio-visual interactions) that do not involve face-to-face, in-person patient contact. Refer to ForwardHealth Update 2020-15, titled “Additional Services to Be Provided Via Telehealth,” for additional information on temporary policy.
“Face-to-face” refers to requirements that can be met either in-person or through real-time, interactive audio-visual telehealth. Face-to-face equivalence for interactive telehealth services exists when a service is delivered from outside the physical presence of a Medicaid member by using audio, video, or telecommunication technology, and there is no reduction in quality, safety, or effectiveness. ForwardHealth does not consider a “face-to-face” requirement to be met by to audio-only or asynchronous delivery of services.
SOURCE: WI ForwardHealth Update: Expanded Coverage for Permanent Telehealth Policy, No. 2023-01, Jan. 2023, (Accessed Aug. 2023).
Telehealth is audio and video contact with your doctor or health care provider using your phone, computer, or tablet. It includes:
- Health care services
- Getting a diagnosis
- Consultations to discuss your treatment
- Treatment for your medical condition
SOURCE: Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Medicaid Telehealth Expansion: Frequently Asked Questions, May 11, 2023, (Accessed Aug. 2023).
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