Complete the Virtual Care Services Application for your practice to apply for participation with telemedicine and/or telehealth services. Email the completed application with supporting documentation to VirtualCare@bcbssc.com.

You can also view our frequently asked questions for more information.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is when a referring physician and a consulting physician consult using electronic communications.

CAM 032 Telemedicine:

• Includes two-way, real-time, interactive, secured and HIPAA-compliant electronic audio and video telecommunications systems.
• Is used by a referring physician when in-person, face-to-face contact with a consulting physician is not physically available.
  • The referring physician is the practitioner who has evaluated the patient. This physician decides the consultation is needed and arranges the services of the physician for consultation, diagnosis and/or treatment.
  • The consulting physician is the practitioner who evaluates the patient using telemedicine upon the recommendation of the referring physician.

Telehealth

Telehealth is when a patient and licensed health care provider interact using electronic communications.

CAM 176 Telehealth:

• Includes two-way, real-time, interactive, secured and HIPAA-compliant electronic audio and video telecommunications systems.
• Evaluations are non-face-to-face services, typically in response to a patient’s online inquiry, and are used to address non-urgent ongoing or new conditions.

Providers must be approved by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice HealthPlan to participate in telemedicine and telehealth separately in order to receive reimbursement. Even if you already have the necessary software, you must be approved. To get approval, email VirtualCare@bcbssc.com.

More guidance and criteria are included in the BlueCross and BlueChoice^® medical policies CAM 032 Telemedicine and CAM 176 Telehealth.

BlueChoice^® HealthPlan is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.