COVID-19 “Coronavirus” Notice

Governor Lee signed Executive Order No. 20 (click here for a copy) on Thursday, March 26, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The executive order describes Tennessee’s efforts to address the virus and provides changes and guidance to current laws. The order has language pertaining to Telehealth, which allows LBAs in the State of Tennessee to practice within our Scope of Practice via Telehealth. You will need to check with each funding source as to their approval and the use of billing codes.

Please note Section 38.1 which references Telehealth specifically:

38.1. The provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-l-155(a)(l), are hereby suspended to the extent necessary to allow Telehealth or telemedicine services to be provided by any provider licensed under Title 63, regardless of the provider’s authority to diagnose. This suspension does not otherwise alter or amend any licensee’s scope of practice or record keeping requirements.

Resources Related to Telehealth and Small Business

Websites, Webinars and Podcasts

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

World Health Organization Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Tennessee Department of Health Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information
https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html

TennCare Information about Coronavirus
https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/information-statistics/tenncare-information-about-coronavirus.html

COVID-19 Telehealth and Testing Update
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tenncare/documents/TennCareMCOCOVID19TelehealthDxTestingUpdate.pdf

TennCare Behavioral Health COVID-19 Telehealth Update
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tenncare/documents/TennCareMCOBehavioralHlthCOVID19TelehealthUpdate3182020.pdf

Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP)
You will need to register to access this information, including Organization Guidelines and Standards as well as a webinar on Telehealth.
https://casproviders.org/

The Daily BA with Ryan O’Donnell
https://www.thedailyba.com/episodes/2020/0317/telehealth-aba-services-w/-tina-patterson-med-bcba-lba

Behavioral Observations
https://behavioralobservations.com/session-26-wendy-machalicek-discusses-telemedicine-and-aba/

ABA Inside Track
https://www.abainsidetrack.com/home/2019/6/12/episode-88-ethics-of-telehealth

Imbueity Behavioral Health
https://imbueity.com/tag/telehealth/

Lifting of HIPAA Requirements
https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/emergency-preparedness/notification-enforcement-discretion-telehealth/index.html

U.S. Small Business Administration
https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources

ABA Billing Codes
https://www.ababillingcodes.com/resources/important-covid-19-update-use-of-telehealth/