June 2022
Following a recent update from the Center for Medicare, and Medicaid Services (CMS), NASW has received multiple inquiries regarding telehealth place of service codes (POS) for Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance companies. The purpose of this blog is to clarify what POS codes clinical social workers should use when providing telehealth services.
POS codes are used on health insurance claim forms to indicate where patient services are rendered. CMS revised the description for POS codes 02 and 10 for telehealth. The current descriptors are:
- POS 02: Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home
Descriptor: The location where health services and health related services are provided or received, through telecommunication technology. Patient is not located in their home when receiving health services or health related services through telecommunication technology. - POS 10: Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home
Descriptor: The location where health services and health related services are provided or received, through telecommunication technology. Patient is located in their home (which is a location other than a hospital or other facility where the patient receives care in a private residence) when receiving health services or health related services through telecommunication technology.
For some health insurance companies, the code changes became effective on January 1, 2022, while Medicare implemented the changes on April 1, 2022. Since the policies around the use of these codes may vary, clinical social workers should consult with each health insurance company with whom they are credentialed for specific guidance on the usage of POS codes. The Place of Service Code Set can also be found on the CMS website.
Prepared by Denise Johnson, LCSW-C, Senior Practice Associate, Clinical Social Work
