Page 113 State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies A Comprehensive Scan of the 50 States and District of Columbia

Center for Connected Health Policy

Nebraska

Medicaid Program: Nebraska Medicaid

Program Administrator: NE Dept. of Health and Human Services

Regional Telehealth Resource Center:
Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center
University of Minnesota/Institute for Health Informatics
330 Diehl Hall
505 Essex Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(888) 239-7092
www.gptrac.org

STATE LAW/REGULATIONS MEDICAID PROGRAM
Definition of telemedicine/telehealth

Telehealth means the use of medical information Telehealth is a Medicaid-covered service delivered by a
electronically exchanged from one site to another, health care practitioner that utilize an interactive audio
whether synchronously or asynchronously, to aid a and video telecommunications system that permits real-
health care practitioner in the diagnosis or treatment of a time communication between the health care practitioner
patient. Telehealth includes services originating from a at the distant site and the client at the originating site.
patient’s home or any other location where such patient Telehealth services do not include a telephone
is located, asynchronous services involving the conversation, electronic mail message, facsimile
acquisition and storage of medical information at one transmission between a health care practitioner and a
site that is then forwarded to or retrieved by a health client, a consultation between two health care
care practitioner at another site for medical evaluation, practitioners and asynchronous “store and forward”
and telemonitoring. technology.

Telehealth consultation means any contact between a Source: NE Admin. Code Title 471, Ch. 1 & Physician Provider
patient and a health care practitioner relating to the Handbook, Manual Letter 63-2014, pg. 17-19.
health care diagnosis or treatment of such patient
through telehealth.

Source: NE Rev. Statute, 71-8503. (LB 1076)
Live Video Reimbursement

(see Medicaid column) Nebraska Medicaid stipulates in-person contact is not
required for reimbursable services under the Medicaid
program, subject to reimbursement policies developed.

This policy also applies to managed care plans who
contract with the Department only to the extent that:

• Services delivered via telehealth are covered
and reimbursed under the fee-for-service
program and
• Managed care contracts are amended to add
coverage of services delivered via telehealth

Telehealth services are not covered if a child has access
to a comparable service within 30 miles of his/her place
of residence.

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