CMS releases COVID-19 self-isolation counseling checklist
Effective Aug 3, 2020
Published Aug 3, 2020
Last Reviewed Aug 3, 2020
CMS has released a checklist to help providers counsel patients who are self-isolating after they are tested for COVID-19 and prior to the onset of symptoms, CMS said in a news alert.
This checklist was released as part of an announcement from CMS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stating that payment is available to providers under E/M codes to counsel patients at the time of COVID-19 testing. The ability to bill for teaching and education for home health would include this counseling and has always been billable, but this checklist “does provide a nice outline for education and information for patient education on COVID-19,” says Brandi Whitemyer, an independent home health and hospice consultant based in Canton, Ohio.