**Update: Effective April 23, 2020, TRICARE has approved use of telemedicine services to include otherwise-covered behavioral health services during the COVID-19 outbreak.
These services include:
We are working diligently to update our claims system to reflect this change.
**Update: If a beneficiary meets all other criteria for a covered service for speech therapy and for continuation of PT/OT, (but not initiation of PT/OT), it is covered using telemedicine, using any coding modifiers as you would for a TRICARE network provider office visit.
The CDC, Department of Defense (DOD) and other government partners are closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak while encouraging actions to limit the spread of the virus. Utilizing the telemedicine option is a safe way to treat patients, while containing the spread to medical facilities.
TRICARE covers the use of interactive audio/video technology services, and are subject to the same referral and authorization requirements and include, but are not limited to: clinical consultations, office visits and telemental health.
As a reminder:
Providers billing for telemedicine services that are:
*Synchronous telemedicine services involve an interactive, electronic information exchange in at least two directions in the same time. Asynchronous telemedicine services involve storing, forwarding and transmitting medical information on telemedicine encounters in one direction at a time.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) providers:
When submitting claims for telemedicine services, the provider may indicate "Signature not required – distance telemedicine site" in the required patient signature field. ABA providers submitting claims for outcome measures administered via telehealth must include the modifier GT.
Visit telemedicine services or TRICARE Policy Manual, Chapter 7, Section 22.1 for more information.