Page 19 State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies A Comprehensive Scan of the 50 States and District of Columbia

Center for Connected Health Policy

Arizona

Medicaid Program: Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)

Program Administrator: Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Administration

Regional Telehealth Resource Center
Southwest Telehealth Resource Center
PO Box 245105
Tucson, AZ 85724
(520) 626-4498
www.southwesttrc.org

STATE LAW/REGULATIONS MEDICAID PROGRAM

Definition of telemedicine/telehealth
Under Arizona Statute, Public Health & Safety, Telemedicine is “the practice of health care delivery,
"telemedicine means the practice of health care delivery, diagnosis, consultation and treatment and the transfer
diagnosis, consultation and treatment and the transfer of of medical data between the originating and distant sites
medical data through interactive audio, video or data through real time interactive audio, video or data
communications that occur in the physical presence of communications that occur in the physical presence of
the patient, including audio or video communications the member.”
sent to a health care provider for diagnostic or treatment
consultation.” Source: AZ Health Care Cost Containment System .AHCCCS
Medical Policy Manual for AHCCCS Covered Services, Ch. 300, p.
Source: AZ Revised Statute Sec. 36-3601 (2012). 176, Apr. 2012.

Under State Administrative Code, Department of Telehealth is “the use of telecommunications and
Insurance, Health Care Services Organizations information technology to provide access to health
Oversight, "telemedicine means diagnostic, consultation, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, consultation,
and treatment services that occur in the physical supervision and information across distance.”
presence of an enrollee on a real-time basis through Source: AZ Health Care Cost Containment System, AHCCCS
interactive audio, video, or data communication.” Medical Policy for AHCCCS Covered Services, Ch. 300, p. 176.
Apr. 2012.
Source: AZ Admin. Code Sec. R20-6-1902 (2012).

“Telemedicine means the interactive use of audio, video
or other electronic media for the purpose of diagnosis,
consultation or treatment. Does not include the sole use
of an audio-only telephone, a video-only system, a
facsimile machine, instant messages or electronic mail.”

Source: AZ SB 1353 (2013).

Live Video Reimbursement
Health Care Service Organizations (HCSO) are allowed, Fee for Service
but not mandated, to provide access to covered services AHCCCS will reimburse for medically necessary
through telemedicine, telephone, and email. services provided via live video in their fee for service
program.
Source: AZ Admin. Code Sec. R20-6-1915 (2012)
Eligible services:
Private payers are required to provide coverage for live • Cardiology;
video consultations when treating specific conditions
• Dermatology;

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