May 2022

Telehealth Information for Provider Directories: What We’re Collecting and How to Make Updates

In accordance with Illinois Senate Bill 332, which amends the Illinois Network Adequacy and Transparency Act, we’re required to update our printed directory and online Provider Finder^® to show telehealth information for each contracted provider.

We’ve started collecting telehealth information from commercial providers contracted with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) in our PPO, HMO, and Blue Choice PPO^SM networks. In previous notices, we outlined a roster process to update your telehealth information if you participate in any of these commercial networks.

More Collection Methods
On April 12, 2022, we announced the added option to share your telehealth information with BCBSIL using one of our online forms:

Demographic Change Form – For existing providers to update their information
Provider Onboarding Form – For new providers (not currently in our network) to add their information

If you haven’t already updated your telehealth information, please use one of the update methods above or complete the following steps to use the roster process:

Send a request with your Tax ID to the Illinois Provider Roster Requests team and ask for a current copy of your roster.
Complete the telehealth fields for each provider on the roster; and
Send the roster back to the Illinois Provider Roster Requests team as soon as possible.

What telehealth information is being collected?
To help you prepare, here’s a list of the 12 fields you’ll see in the online form, along with definitions to help clarify how you may want to answer.

The first two fields refer to the modalities your office provides:	Telehealth available audio only (Yes or No) – Telehealth appointments that are conducted without video. Examples include appointments conducted by phone discussion.
	Telehealth available audio and video (Yes or No) – Telehealth appointments that are conducted with both audio and video. Examples include appointments done over Skype or Webex or FaceTime.
The third field refers to adding a remote family caregiver* to the patient’s telehealth visit, if the patient wishes to, and provides consent to do this:	Telehealth w/Family Caregiver in Different Place (Yes or No) –Appointments where the patient, provider, and family caregiver are in separate locations. *Note: ‘Family caregiver’ means a relative, partner, friend, or neighbor who has a significant relationship with the patient and administers or assists them with activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, or other medical or nursing tasks for the quality and welfare of that patient.
Fields 4 through 12 refer to the types of services your office could offer via telehealth:	Telehealth Medical Care (Yes or No) – Types of services typically referred to as ordinary and usual outpatient professional services rendered by a physician or other health care provider during a professional visit for treatment of an illness or injury. Telehealth Consultation (Yes or No) – Types of services related to the act of seeking assistance via telehealth from one or more other physicians or other health care providers for diagnostic studies, therapeutic interventions, or other services that may benefit the patient. Telehealth Hospice (Yes or No) – Types of services related to the comprehensive, holistic program of care and support for terminally ill patients and their families that can be done via telehealth. Telehealth Hearing Items and Services (Yes or No) – Types of services done via telehealth to help improve hearing. Telehealth Vision Items or Services (Yes or No) – Types of services done via telehealth to help improve vision. Telehealth Outpatient Mental Health Treatment (Yes or No) – Types of services typically referred to as outpatient mental health services that are done via telehealth. Treatments could include individual or group counseling, outpatient anxiety treatment, depression treatment, stress management skills, and family therapy. Telehealth Occupational Therapy (Yes or No) – Types of services done via telehealth that help people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Telehealth Physical Therapy (Yes or No) – Types of services related to the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of individuals with limitations in functional mobility. Telehealth Other Medical Items or Services (Yes or No) – Other services conducted via telehealth when appropriate as determined by a physician or other health care provider.

We’re Here to Help
If you have questions on this notice, contact your assigned Provider Network Consultant (PNC).

The above material is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician or other health care provider. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the appropriate course of treatment. The fact that a service or treatment is described in this material is not a guarantee that the service or treatment is a covered benefit and members should refer to their certificate of coverage for more details, including benefits, limitations, and exclusions. Regardless of benefits, the final decision about any service or treatment is between the member and their health care provider.