State Telemedicine Policy Information
Healthcare Legislation Is Complex, We Can Help.
Hawaii Telemedicine Policy
Hawaii Telemedicine Policy
Hawaii has been keen to adopt telemedicine, especially since the Aloha State has an ongoing physician shortage. In 2016, Hawaii’s governor amended the state’s private payer parity laws, ensuring the same reimbursement for telemedicine as for in-person services and expanding the list of eligible telehealthcare providers.
State Policy Overview
Medicaid
Yes
Private Payer
No
Parity
Yes
Additional State Telemedicine Info
Parity Laws
Since Hawaii amended its telemedicine parity law, private payers are now required to reimburse telemedicine on the same basis as in-person services. The amendment also expanded the list of eligible health care providers who can provide telemedicine.
Medicaid
Hawaii Medicaid is required to cover live video, store-and-forward and remote patient monitoring telehealth services. Plus, Hawaii state law requires these services to be reimbursed in the same manner as comparable services provided in-person (for both Medicaid and private payers!).
Type Of Telemedicine Covered
In Hawaii, private payers and Medicaid are required to cover live-video, remote patient monitoring, and store-and-forward telemedicine. Also, under Medicare, Hawaii is one of only two states that allows Medicare coverage of store-and-forward telehealth services.
Covered Health Services
The following health services are covered in Hawaii:
- Inpatient hospital services
- Outpatient hospital services
- Rural health center (including federally-qualified health center) services
- Other laboratory and x-ray services
- Family Practice and Pediatric Nurse Practitioners’ services
- Nursing facility (NF) services and home health services
- Early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment (EPSDT) for individuals under 21
- Family planning services and supplies Physician services and medical and surgical services of a dentist
- Nurse-Midwife services
Eligible Healthcare Providers
Hawaii Medicaid does not have any restrictions on which healthcare providers can bill for telemedicine.
Online Prescriptions
Hawaii healthcare providers can only ePrescribe when there is an established doctor-patient relationship. However, a doctor-patient relationship can be established through telemedicine if the patient was referred by another healthcare provider who conducted an in-person consultation.
Informed Patient Consent
Hawaii does not currently have any regulations around getting informed patient consent prior to the telemedicine visit.
Cross-State Telemedicine Licensing
You must have a medical license in Hawaii to be covered for telehealth services reimbursed by Medicaid. Hawaii is not yet part of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact to expedite medical licensing across state lines. However, Hawaii allows out-of-state radiologists to provide medical services in the state.
Restrictions On Locations
Hawaii is transitioning away from requiring patients to be at a specific location (originating site) during their telemedicine visit. While the state still officially uses the typical list of Medicaid originating sites (FQHCs, Hospitals, Rural clinics, etc), a recent state plan amendment was approved to remove these geographic and originating site requirements. Stay updated on Hawaii’s location restrictions.
Reimbursement Rates
Hawaii requires private payers and Medicaid to reimburse for telehealth the same as face to face services.
To bill for telemedicine services, use the relevant CPT/HCPCS code and add the GT modifier to document that it was a telemedicine visit.