State Telemedicine Policy Information
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Maine Telemedicine Policy
Maine Telemedicine Policy
Maine is a great example of a state that has telemedicine figured out! The American Telemedicine Association gave Maine almost a perfect grade on telemedicine policy and Medicaid coverage.
State Policy Overview
Medicaid
Yes
Private Payer
Yes
Parity
Yes
Additional State Telemedicine Info
Parity Laws
Maine enacted its telemedicine parity law for both Medicaid and private insurance back in 2009. This means the state of Maine requires it’s Medicaid program, state employee health plans, and all private insurance carriers to reimburse telemedicine in the same way as in-person medical services.
Medicaid
Maine’s Medicaid program covers all types of telemedicine, including live video, store-and-forward, and remote patient monitoring. Additionally, unlike some other states, Maine does not have restrictions on eligible healthcare providers or patient location for telehealth delivery.
Type Of Telemedicine Covered
Maine law requires coverage for services provided through live video, store-and-forward, and remote patient monitoring for patients with specific medical conditions. As an added benefit, MaineCare will also reimburse for telephone calls in cases where live video telehealth is unavailable or the healthcare provider is completing crisis resolution, targeted case management, or monitoring for elderly or adults with dis/abilities.
Covered Health Services
Maine’s Medicaid is fairly flexible when it comes to telemedicine coverage. The provider manual says that as long as “the member is eligible for the underlying covered service and providing it via telehealth is medically appropriate, the member is eligible for telehealth services.” Medicaid does list a few specific exclusions, such as ambulance and pharmacy services. Check the Telehealth section of your MaineCare Provider Manual for more information.
Eligible Healthcare Providers
Unlike most other state Medicaid programs, Mainecare does not place any limits on which providers can do telemedicine!
Online Prescriptions
Healthcare providers who are interested in providing prescriptions via telehealth must follow a few requirements. Maine requires providers to collect a full medical history and perform a physical exam when medically necessary.
Informed Patient Consent
MaineCare providers are required to get a patient’s informed consent and give patients educational resources about telemedicine at their visit. See more details on what to include here.
We always recommend getting a patient’s informed consent for telemedicine visits as a telemedicine best practice! Read more about how to do telemedicine informed consent.
Cross-State Telemedicine Licensing
Maine is part of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which helps to expedite medical licensing across state lines. Physicians who are located out of state can practice in Maine using interstate telemedicine as long as they have a medical license that is in good standing.
Restrictions On Locations
Maine does not currently have any restrictions on patient location at the time of the visit.
Reimbursement Rates
Reimbursement rates are the same as for in-person services.