Health care providers must inform the patient prior to the initial delivery of telehealth services about the use of telehealth and obtain verbal or written consent from the patient for the use of telehealth as an acceptable mode of delivering health care services.
If a health care provider, whether at the originating site or distant site, maintains a general consent agreement that specifically mentions use of telehealth as an acceptable modality for delivery of services and includes the required information, as explained below, then this is sufficient for documentation of patient consent and should be kept in the patient’s medical file. Providers also need to document when a patient consents to receive services via audio-only prior to initial delivery of services.
The consent shall be documented in the patient’s medical file and be available to DHCS upon request. Providers are required to share additional information with beneficiaries regarding:
- Right to in-person services
- Voluntary nature of consent
- Availability of transportation to access in-person services when other available resources have been reasonably exhausted
- Limitations/risks of receiving services via telehealth, if applicable
- Availability of translation services
Consent requirements may be found in Business and Professions Code, Section 2290.5 [b] and Welfare and Institutions Code, Section 14132.725 [d]. Model patient consent language may be found on the DHCS website.
FQHCs and RHCs are directed to refer to the above on consent requirements.
SOURCE: CA Department of Health Care Services. Medi-Cal Part 2 General Medicine Manual. Telehealth. (Jan. 2023), Pg. 5., CA Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) Outpatient Services Manual. Mar. 2024. Pg. 14. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
Applies to Healthcare Providers including FQHCs/RHCs
In addition to any existing law requiring beneficiary consent to telehealth, including, but not limited to, subdivision (b) of Section 2290.5 of the Business and Professions Code, all of the following shall be communicated by a health care provider, FQHC, and RHC to a Medi-Cal beneficiary, in writing or verbally, on at least one occasion prior to, or concurrent with, initiating the delivery of one or more health care services via telehealth to a Medi-Cal beneficiary:
- An explanation that beneficiaries have the right to access covered services that may be delivered via telehealth through an in-person, face-to-face visit;
- An explanation that use of telehealth is voluntary and that consent for the use of telehealth can be withdrawn at any time by the Medi-Cal beneficiary without affecting their ability to access covered Medi-Cal services in the future;
- An explanation of the availability of Medi-Cal coverage for transportation services to in-person visits when other available resources have been reasonably exhausted; and
- The potential limitations or risks related to receiving services through telehealth as compared to an in-person visit, to the extent any limitations or risks are identified by the provider, FQHC, or RHC.
The provider, FQHC, or RHC shall document in the patient record the provision of this information and the patient’s verbal or written acknowledgment that the information was received.
The department shall develop, in consultation with affected stakeholders, model language for purposes of the communication described in this subdivision.
This subdivision does not apply to Medi-Cal covered services delivered by providers via any telehealth modality to eligible inmates in state prisons, county jails, or youth correctional facilities.
SOURCE: Welfare and Institutions Code 14132.725 & Welfare and Institutions Code 14132.100. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
State law requires the health care provider initiating the use of telehealth to obtain written or verbal consent once before the initial delivery of telehealth services. Medi-Cal has developed Telehealth Patient Consent Language, which includes language outlining a beneficiary’s right to in-person services, the voluntary nature of consent, the availability of transport to access in-person services if needed, and potential limitations/risks of receiving services via telehealth. Providers are not required to use DHCS model language but rather can be utilized as a resource. Patient consent can be completed verbally or in writing. Patients who consent to synchronous video must separately consent to synchronous audio-only services.
Health care providers may document consent either by having the beneficiary sign a paper or electronic form that can be included in the patient’s medical record or by having the provider note consent in the patient’s medical record. Group practices need to obtain and document a patient’s initial consent for purposes of telehealth services prior to the initiation of health care services via telehealth. If consent is documented by the group practice, it is not necessary for each provider rendering health care services via telehealth to document consent.
Minors who receive confidential care, including sexual health, reproductive health, mental health under the Minor Consent Program, may consent to receive the same services via telehealth that are appropriate for telehealth. More information is available on the Minor Consent Program.
SOURCE: CA Department of Health Care Services. Telehealth FAQs. (Accessed Apr. 2024).
Indian Health Services, Memorandum of Understanding Agreement (IHS-MOA)
Refer to fee-for-service policy. All consent for homeless patients must be documented.
SOURCE: CA Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Indian Health Services, Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) 638, Clinics Manual. Jan. 2023. Pg. 8. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
Vision Care
Providers must include a record of the written or verbal request for the consultation by the referring provider or other source in the medical record. Verbal and written informed consent from the patient or the patient’s legal representative is required if the consulting provider has ultimate authority over the care or primary diagnosis of the patient.
SOURCE: CA Department of Health Care Services, Vision Care: Professional Services Manual. (Oct. 2022), Pg. 5. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
Local Education Agency Services
All of the following shall be communicated by a health care provider to a Medi-Cal beneficiary, in writing or verbally, on at least one occasion prior to, or concurrent with, initiating the delivery of one or more health care services via telehealth to a Medi-Cal beneficiary:
- An explanation that beneficiaries have the right to access covered services that may be delivered via telehealth through an in-person, face-to-face visit;
- An explanation that the use of telehealth is voluntary and that consent for the use of telehealth can be withdrawn at any time by the Medi-Cal beneficiary without affecting their ability to access covered Medi-Cal services in the future;
- An explanation of the availability of Medi-Cal coverage for transportation services to inperson visits when other available resources have been reasonably exhausted; and
- The potential limitations or risks related to receiving services through telehealth as compared to an in-person visit, to the extent any limitations or risks are identified by the provider.
Documentation of written or verbal consent to receive services via telehealth must be maintained in the student’s file. Consent requirements outlined in the Local Educational Agency provider manual section related to accessing public benefits or insurance or releasing medical information in personally identifiable form from the student’s education record must also be followed.
SOURCE: CA Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Local Education Agency (LEA) Telehealth. Jun. 2023. Pg. 7. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
Audio-Only
Providers must document in the patient’s medical chart that the patient has given a written or verbal consent to the audio-only telehealth encounter.
SOURCE: CA Department of Health Care Services. Medi-Cal Part 2 General Medicine Manual. Telehealth. (Mar. 2024), Pg. 9. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
Remote Physiological Monitoring
Prior to or at the time RPM services are furnished, the patient must give consent to receive the services. Consent may be verbal (written consent is not required) but must be documented in the medical record, along with justification for the use of RPM services.
SOURCE: CA DHCS Evaluation and Management Manual (Dec. 2022), p. 42. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
Family PACT
Family PACT providers must inform the client prior to the initial delivery of telehealth services about the use of telehealth and obtain verbal or written consent from the client for the use of telehealth as an acceptable mode of delivering health care services.
If a provider, whether at the originating site or distant site, maintains a general consent agreement that specifically mentions use of telehealth as an acceptable modality for delivery of services and includes the required information, as explained below, then this is sufficient for documentation of client consent, and should be kept in the client’s medical record.
Providers must also document when a client consents to receive services via audio-only prior to initial delivery of services. The consent shall be documented in the client’s medical record and be available to DHCS upon request.
Providers are required to share additional information with clients regarding:
- Right to in-person services
- Voluntary nature of consent
- Limitations/risks of receiving services via telehealth, if applicable
- Availability of translation services
Consent requirements may be found in Business and Professions Code, Section 2290.5 [b]. Model patient consent language may be found on the DHCS website.
SOURCE: CA Department of Health Care Services. Medi-Cal Clinical Services Manual. (May. 2024). Pg. 9. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
Managed Care & Behavioral Health
Providers must inform Members/Beneficiaries prior to the initial delivery of Covered Services via Telehealth about the use of Telehealth and obtain verbal or written consent from Members/Beneficiaries for the use of Telehealth as an acceptable mode of delivering services.
If a Provider, whether at the originating site or distant site, retains a general consent agreement that specifically mentions the use of Telehealth as an acceptable modality for the delivery of Covered Services and includes the required information below, this is sufficient for documentation of consent. Providers also need to document when a Member/Beneficiary consents to receive Covered Services via Telehealth prior to the initial delivery of the services. Consent must be documented in the Member’s/Beneficiary’s Medical Record and made available to DHCS upon request.
In addition to documenting consent prior to initial delivery of Covered Services via Telehealth, Providers are also required to explain the following to Members/Beneficiaries:
- The Member’s/Beneficiaries right to access Covered Services delivered via Telehealth inperson.
- That use of Telehealth is voluntary and that consent for the use of Telehealth can be withdrawn at any time by the Member/Beneficiary without affecting their ability to access Medi-Cal Covered Services in the future.
- The availability of Non-Medical Transportation to in-person visits.
- The potential limitations or risks related to receiving Covered Services through Telehealth as compared to an in-person visit, if applicable.
DHCS has created model Member/Beneficiary consent language for MCPs and Providers to use, which can be found on the DHCS website.
SOURCE: CA Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). All Plan Letter 23-007: Telehealth Services Policy. Apr. 10, 2023, p. 3-4; CA Department of Health Care Service (DHCS). Behavioral Health Information Notice No.: 23-018. Apr. 25, 2023. Pg. 3-4. (Accessed Jun. 2024).
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