The department may not require a health care provider that is licensed, certified, registered, or otherwise authorized to provide health care services in this state and that exclusively offers health care services in this state through telehealth to maintain a physical address or site in this state to be eligible for enrollment as a certified provider under the Medical Assistance program.
The department may not require a provider group with health care providers that are licensed, certified, registered, or otherwise authorized to provide health care services in this state and that exclusively offer health care services in this state through telehealth to maintain a physical address or site in this state to be eligible for enrollment as a provider group under the Medical Assistance program.
SOURCE: WI Statute, Sec. 49.45 (61m), (Accessed Dec. 2024).
ForwardHealth policy for services provided via telehealth by out-of-state providers is the same as ForwardHealth policy for services provided face to face by out-of-state providers.
Out-of-state providers who meet the definition of a border-status provider as described in Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 101.03(19) and who provide services to Wisconsin Medicaid members only via telehealth, may apply for enrollment as Wisconsin telehealth-only border-status providers if they are licensed in Wisconsin under applicable Wisconsin statute and administrative code.
Out-of-state providers who do not have border status enrollment with Wisconsin Medicaid are required to obtain PA before providing services via telehealth to BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid members.
Note: Wisconsin Medicaid is prohibited from paying providers located outside of the United States and its territories, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
SOURCE: WI ForwardHealth Online Handbook. Topic #510 Telehealth. (Accessed Dec. 2024).
Beginning June 1, 2023, a new telehealth-only border-status option will allow out-of-state providers located in a state that does not physically border Wisconsin to enroll in Medicaid as a telehealth-only border-status provider.
These out-of-state providers will enroll through the border-status process but will select the newly added “telehealth” option as their county. This option will distinguish these providers from regular border-status providers that may potentially also deliver in-person services to members in addition to telehealth delivery. This option is only available for providers located in the United States that:
- Provide services solely through telehealth.
- Are located in states that do not physically border Wisconsin.
In-state providers located in Wisconsin that provide services solely through telehealth should enroll in Medicaid as an in-state provider, and border-status providers located in a state that physically borders Wisconsin should enroll in Medicaid as a border-status provider.
Refer to the Attachment to this ForwardHealth Update for additional guidance on which enrollment process is most appropriate to provide telehealth-only services based on the provider’s location and status.
Note: Wisconsin Medicaid is prohibited from paying providers located outside of the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa).
Definition of Telehealth-Only Border-Status Provider
Out-of-state providers who meet the definition of a border-status provider as described in Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 101.03(19) and who provide services to Wisconsin Medicaid members via telehealth, regardless of provider location, may apply for enrollment as a telehealth-only border-status provider if they are licensed in Wisconsin under applicable statute and administrative code and are professionally licensed/certified to provide services as defined by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
Enrolled border-status providers are subject to the same program requirements as in-state providers, including coverage of services, prior authorization (PA), and claim submission procedures. Out-of-state providers that do not enroll as telehealth-only border-status providers are required to obtain PA from ForwardHealth before providing a non-emergency service.
See bulletin for more on providers eligible to enroll and providers not eligible to enroll, as well as the process to become a telehealth-only border-status provider.
During the enrollment process, telehealth-only border-status providers must attest to understanding the limitations on the services they are delivering to members in Wisconsin and following all applicable policies, state and federal rules, regulations, and licensure requirements applicable to claims submitted to Wisconsin Medicaid. Providers must also acknowledge that, as a telehealth-only border-status provider, they may only submit claims for reimbursable services delivered through telehealth; any in-person services are subject to out-of-state provider requirements including PA for services.
Program limitations and requirements for telehealth-only border-status providers include the following:
- Border-status providers who are located in states that do not border Wisconsin may only deliver services via telehealth unless they have PA. Regular border-status providers (those that physically border Wisconsin – Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota) may deliver services via telehealth and in-person.
- Telehealth-only border-status providers must open a Portal account upon enrollment to conduct business via the Portal including submission of PA requests as necessary.
- Telehealth-only border-status providers are required to follow all applicable federal and state laws, policies, and regulations, including any related requirements from the state from which they are practicing when delivering services.
SOURCE: Wisconsin ForwardHealth Bulletin No. 2023-20, June 2023, (Accessed Dec. 2024).
When a provider in a state that borders on Wisconsin documents to the department’s satisfaction that it is common practice for recipients in a particular area of Wisconsin to go for medical services to the provider’s locality in the neighboring state, the provider may be certified as a Wisconsin border status provider, subject to the certification requirements in this chapter and the same rules and contractual agreements that apply to Wisconsin providers, except that nursing homes are not eligible for border status.
Out-of-state independent laboratories, regardless of location, may apply for certification as Wisconsin border status providers.
Out-of-state providers who meet the definition of a border-status provider as described in s. DHS 101.03 (19) and who provide services to Wisconsin members via telehealth, regardless of provider location, may apply for certification as Wisconsin border-status providers if they are licensed in Wisconsin under applicable Wisconsin statute and administrative code.
Other out-of-state providers who do not meet the requirements of sub. (1) may be reimbursed for non-emergency services provided to a Wisconsin MA recipient upon approval by the department under s. DHS 107.04.
The department may review border status certification of a provider annually. Border status certification may be canceled by the department if it is found to be no longer warranted by medical necessity, volume or other considerations.
A provider certified in another state for services not covered in Wisconsin shall be denied border status certification for these services in the Wisconsin program.
A provider denied certification in another state shall be denied certification in Wisconsin, except that a provider denied certification in another state because the provider’s services are not MA-covered in that state may be eligible for Wisconsin border status certification if the provider’s services are covered in Wisconsin.
SOURCE: Department of Health Services Administrative Rules Sec. 105.48, (Accessed Dec. 2024).
Can I receive services from an out-of-state provider through telehealth?
Yes, you can receive services from an out-of-state provider if they are enrolled in Wisconsin Medicaid and follow Medicaid policy for prior authorizations (getting permission before the service occurs). Check with your provider to see if they qualify. If you are enrolled in a managed care program, you should check with them to determine who you can see.
If I am out of state, can I still receive telehealth services?
Maybe. Providers may be required to have a license to practice in the state where you are located. Check with your provider to see if they are able to provide telehealth services in the state where you are located.
SOURCE: Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Medicaid Telehealth Expansion: Frequently Asked Questions, May 11, 2023, (Accessed Dec. 2024).
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