Four Telehealth CPT Codes Removed from CMS Medicare Coverage List

Four Telehealth CPT Codes Removed from CMS Medicare Coverage List

telehealth codes

CMS will remove the codes from the Category 3 list of approved telehealth services. The services included in the Category 3 section will remain on the Medicare telehealth services list until the end of the calendar year during which the public health emergency (PHE) ends.

CMS added more than 60 telehealth services to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule in December 2020 (CMS, 2020). In addition, CMS included these services to make sure they were covered past the end of the COVID-19 PHE.

Lastly, here are the four CPT telehealth service codes that CMS took off:

  • 96121: Neurobehavioral status exam via physician or qualified health professional
  • 99221: Initial hospital care
  • 99222: Initial hospital care
  • 99223: Initial hospital care

For the full description of the removed codes and additional corrections, review the full notice here.

Catch up on the latest news regarding telehealth services, coverage, and how to code these virtual visits in the YES Telehealth Resource Center.

covid-19 and telehealth course

Do you need to learn how to code the COVID-19 vaccines or telehealth services? Enroll in the latest CPT Hot Topics learning series from YES HIM Education. This series dives into the HCPCS/CPT codes and guidelines for COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies, COVID-19 vaccines, and telehealth. We also discuss payment policies for all three topics.

YES HIM Consulting

telehealth cpt codes

Subscribe to our Newsletter

HOW CAN WE HELP? LET’S DISCUSS!

  • By clicking Submit, you agree to YES HIM Consulting's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.