Telemedicine FAQs

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Answers to the most common telemedicine questions.

General

Question	Answer
What is telemedicine?	Telemedicine allows healthcare providers to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients over video visits.
How much can I expect for reimbursement?	The amount providers are reimbursed for telemedicine will vary depending on a state’s legislation. Here is a map with the reimbursement landscape.
What about private payer reimbursement?	Many plans cover telemedicine regardless of parity law Telemedicine Rules Engine checks eligibility before each appointment Common CPT Codes: 99213 - 99214 Typical reimbursement is $70 - 100 Some plans require modifiers – Telemedicine eligibility check informs billing staff
What are common use cases for telemedicine?	Video visits can be used for most appointments that do not require a physical exam, such as: Follow-up visits Minor urgent care Medication adjustments Reviewing lab results Remote chronic disease management
What are the benefits of offering telemedicine?	Reduced ancillary cost/time compared to an in-office visit Greater convenience for your patients and team members Improved clinical outcomes Easier access = better compliance with treatment plans Increased patient satisfaction Generate incremental revenue for the practice
What are the right type of visits for telemedicine?	Most minor, urgent care issues that don’t require a physical examination Review of test, lab, or imaging results Counseling services and specialist referrals Medication discussion, adjustments, or refills Treatment plan discussions And many more depending on your specialty
What type of visits are not optimal for telemedicine?	Visits that would require a physical exam to properly diagnose the patient Always left to the discretion of what the provider is most comfortable with
Best ways to market to patients?	Custom, patient web page Patient email campaign In-office pamphlets and posters Online marketing/social media Constantly engage with patients in-office
Best ways to message video visits to patients?	“Video visits = Doctor’s orders!” Prescribe telemedicine as a continuum of care Normalize the experience as a common practice Medically secure FaceTime
As a staff member, what is my role?	You are the frontline! Engage with patients and generate excitement Identify appointments that are easily converted to video Be knowledgeable on the benefits of telemedicine
As a staff member, what are the advantages to me?	Maximize your time by converting in-office visits to video visits Reduce your exposure to illness Happier patients = Happier you Offload the burden of a full waiting room Shorter wait times for in-office visits
As a patient, what are the advantages?	Convenient access to your provider Less time away from work Improved work/life balance Avoid potentially contagious patients Privacy
What do patients need to conduct a visit?	Laptop, tablet or smartphone Strong WiFi or mobile connection Activate account through email or text notification Be prepared 10-15 minutes before the visit starts

Technical

Question	Answer
How much does each telemedicine visit cost?	Each confirmed telemedicine visit costs just $7. New providers get their first 10 video visits free.
Will I be charged for cancelations, no-shows, or rescheduled appointments?	No, only confirmed visits where the patient visit occurred will be charged. If the patient cancels or doesn’t show, we suggest the provider follow the same procedures as a normal in office appointment, generally charging a no-show fee.
Are patient payments taken through Stripe?	Not at this time. Kareo Telemedicine payments are transacted through a separate merchant services vendor.
What is the patient payments transaction rate?	2.9% +30 cents per transaction.
When a telemedicine appointment is happening, is it being recorded and/or stored somewhere?	No, the appointment will not be recorded. The first reason telemedicine sessions are not recorded is for the patient's comfort, similar to how a camera during an in-office appointment would feel awkward. The second reason is that due to HIPAA requirements, a recorded appointment would have to be attached to the patient record which would require very large amounts of storage.
What happens if the patient cancels their appointment mid-session?	The patient can re-launch their video session from the link they originally used to initiate. The video session does not officially terminate until the provider clicks, “end” on the video screen.
What happens if a duplicate Superbill is created for a single visit?	Kareo automatically creates an encounter for every completed telemedicine visit that is linked to the appointment. Any additional charges submitted for the same appointment will display an error to prevent duplicates.
How will I know if an encounter is from a telemedicine visit?	Telemedicine visits will always include a place holder CPT Code "KAREO" and diagnosis code "XXXX.00." Additionally, Kareo Telemedicine visits will include billing instructions regarding telemedicine eligibility in the medical office notes section.
Telemedicine is for Kareo Clinical and provider users only, correct?	Yes, only Provider users can access telemedicine. Additionally, Kareo PM must be activated to use Kareo Telemedicine. And Kareo Telemedicine is launched in the Platform.
Technical support?	Chat with our live support team directly in the Kareo sidebar Patients can also chat directly in the app Phone: (844) 432-0860 Email: support@kareo-telemedicine.com