NEBRASKA TELEMEDICINE LAW
Nebraska’s state legislators are trying to keep up with the quick rate at which telemedicine is advancing. With no parity law in place, there’s no guarantee that private payers will receive reimbursement for telemedicine services.
However, Nebraska may become one of the next states to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. If that legislation is approved, it will be one more step towards nationwide adoption of digital health technologies!
Ready to find out more about Nebraska’s telemedicine policy? Keep on reading.
Parity Law
As of September 2015, Nebraska does not have a parity law for telemedicine. Other telemedicine legislation has been introduced in 2015, but still no proposed parity laws.
Type of Telemedicine Covered
Nebraska Medicaid reimburses for video telemedicine, as well as tele-radiology. Other than tele-radiology statutes, there is no law regarding asynchronous telemedicine, patient monitoring, or any service performed via telephone or email.
Covered Health Services
Nebraska has good coverage for a variety of home health services, including telerehabilitation, mental health services, and autism treatment.
Billing Codes
Eligible Healthcare Providers
To bill for telehealth services, Nebraska health providers must be specifically enrolled as a telehealth site with the state’s Medicaid program.
Online Prescriptions
A provider-patient relationship is required in order to prescribe medication following a telemedicine visit. The relationship can be established via video consult.
Additionally, Nebraska prohibits prescribing drugs based off a questionnaire without an existing doctor-patient relationship, and neither the healthcare practitioner nor the pharmacy is covered if a prescription is solely based off an email questionnaire.
Informed Patient Consent
Written consent is required for all telemedicine services in Nebraska. Additionally, the state Medicaid program allows for consent to be given and received via email.
Cross-State Telemedicine Licensing
Nebraska mandates “appropriate” licensure or certification to practice telemedicine across state lines, but does not specify what types of certification are applicable. A bill regarding the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact has been introduced to the Nebraska legislature, but has yet to be enacted.
Restrictions on Locations
If a patient has access to a comparable service within 30 miles of their residence, that telehealth service is not covered. There are specific exceptions to this rule, which make allowances for emergency situations, homebound patients and nursing facility patients who must be transported via ambulance.
Reimbursement Rates
According to state law, reimbursement for telemedicine services will, at a minimum, be equivalent to reimbursement for in-person services.
Helpful Resources
Center for Connected Health Policy – Nebraska
Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center