DEEOIC’s Program and Policy Updates: Bulletin 21-03: Extending Telemedicine Flexibilities for Routine Physician Appointments

Energy Workers Program Update Subscribe to this newsletter April 1, 2021 You are receiving this email because you subscribed to DEEOIC's Program and Policy Updates. Release of EEOICPA Bulletin 21-03 - Extending Telemedicine Flexibilities for Routine Physician Appointments under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) On March 29, 2021, the Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC) issued EEOICPA Bulletin 21-03, to extend the expiration date of Bulletin 20-07, Telemedicine for Routine Physician Appointments, to September 30, 2021. During the period in which this Bulletin remains in effect, physicians may provide routine medical care through telemedicine when that care is associated directly with one or more accepted conditions. BACKGROUND: In FY 2020, in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a growing number of cities, states, and localities implemented "shelter in place" and/or "stay-at-home" orders, requiring the closure of nonessential services, and limiting the movement and travel of citizens. During this time, DEEOIC implemented temporary procedures to allow for the use of telemedicine in place of nonemergency, routine medical appointments between physicians and EEOICPA claimants. The procedures were made optional rather than required, because DEEOIC was also aware that some treating physicians were constrained in their ability to practice telemedicine by the requirements of either state law or their licensing authorities.  The temporary procedures allowed physicians to: provide routine medical care for covered conditions through telemedicine, including phone, video conferencing, or similar technologies, without pre-authorization; and bill utilizing appropriate telemedicine billing codes, listing the claimant's address as the location of delivery of the medical care, without preauthorization. Bulletin 21-03, effective April 1, 2021, provides temporary guidance to DEEOIC claims staff in the evaluation of evidence obtained from a physician who chooses to exercise the option of conducting and receiving payment for routine medical appointments utilizing telemedicine. EEOICPA Bulletin 21-03 is now available for review on the DEEOIC website. For complete information regarding the Bulletin, please use the link below: Bulletin: EEOICPA Bulletin No. 21-03 Follow us on Twitter   | Subscribe to the DOL Newsletter   | Send Feedback U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation, 200 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20210 www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/energy | Telephone: 1-866-888-3322 | TTY | Contact Us         Questions? Contact Us STAY CONNECTED: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Preferences  |  Unsubscribe  |  Help Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails. This email was sent to stevenmagallanes520.nims@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: United States Department of Labor · 200 Constitution Ave NW · Washington, DC 20210 · 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365)