Page 202 State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies A Comprehensive Scan of the 50 States and District of Columbia

Center for Connected Health Policy

Glossary

Asynchronous (see also Store and Forward) technologies allow for the electronic
transmission of medical information, such as digital images, documents, and pre-recorded
videos. Asynchronous transmissions typically do not occur in real time, and take place
primarily among medical professionals, to aid in diagnoses and medical consults, when live
video or face-to-face patient contact is not necessary.

Broadband refers to the wide bandwidth characteristics of a transmission medium, and its
ability to transport multiple signals and traffic types simultaneously. Broadband is often used
to transmit telehealth and telemedicine services.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that administers the
Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Children’s Waiver Services Program is a federal program that provides Medicaid-funded
home and community-based services to children under age 18 who are eligible for, and at risk
of, placement into an Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded (ICF/MR).

Consultant Site (see also Hub Site or Distant Site) is the site at which the provider delivering
a telehealth service is located.

Critical Access Hospital (CAH) is a rural community hospital that receives cost-based
reimbursement. The reimbursement that CAHs receive is intended to improve their financial
performance and reduce hospital closures.

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Code is a medical billing and administrative code
set that describes medical, surgical, and diagnostic services. It is designed to communicate
uniform information about medical services and procedures among physicians, coders,
patients, accreditation organizations and payers for administrative, financial and analytical
purposes.

Distant Site (see also Hub Site or Consultant Site) is the site at which the provider delivering
a telehealth service is located.

Durable Medical Equipment (DME) is any medical equipment, such as wheelchairs used in
the home.

Echocardiography is a sonogram of the heart.

Echography is a radiologic procedure in which deep structures of the body are recorded with
ultrasonic waves.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test of the electrical activity of the heart, which helps detect
medical problems such as heart attacks and arrhythmias.

E-Prescribing is the act of offering medical prescriptions over the Internet. Often, e-
prescriptions must be accompanied by a valid physician-patient relationship, which may or
may not require a face-to-face interaction between the physician and patient, depending on
the state.

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