UnitedHealthCare's recent decision to adopt a permanent telehealth policy that includes PTs was a big win for the profession and APTA, which has been helping commercial payers understand the value of delivering PT services remotely. Now more details are beginning to emerge.

Recently, UHC released the list of CPT codes it would accept for physical and occupational therapy as well as speech-language pathology services delivered via telehealth (OTs and SLPs were also included in the new policy).

Here are the areas covered:

• Physical therapy evaluations (CPT codes 97161-97163).
• Therapeutic procedure, one or more areas, each 15 minutes (97110, 97112, 97116).
• Tests and measures (97750, 97755).
• Self-care/home management training (97535).
• Orthotic management and training and prosthetic management (97760, 97761).
• Occupational therapy evaluations (97165-97168).
• Treatment of speech, language, voice, communication and/or auditory processing (92507).
• Special otorhinolaryngologic services and procedures (92521-92524).

Providers who bill services on a 1500 claim form can get more details on the new policy by reviewing UHC's updated Telehealth/Telemedicine Policy, Professional.

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