(1) The home health program shall require registered nurse oversight and intervention, as appropriate. In-person contact between a home health care registered nurse and a patient is not required under the state's medical assistance program for home health services that are: (a) Delivered with the assistance of telemedicine and (b) otherwise eligible for reimbursement as a medically necessary skilled home health nursing visit under the program.

     (2) The department in consultation with home health care service providers shall develop reimbursement rules and, in rule, define the requirements that must be met for a reimbursable skilled nursing visit when services are rendered without a face-to-face visit and are assisted by telemedicine.

     (3)(a) The department shall establish the reimbursement rate for skilled home health nursing services delivered with the assistance of telemedicine that meet the requirements of a reimbursable visit as defined by the department.

     (b) Reimbursement is not provided for purchase or lease of telemedicine equipment.

     (4) Any home health agency licensed under chapter 70.127 RCW and eligible for reimbursement under the medical programs authorized under this chapter may be reimbursed for services under this section if the service meets the requirements for a reimbursable skilled nursing visit as defined by the department.

     (5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the scope of practice of any home health care services provider or authorizes the delivery of home health care services in a setting or manner not otherwise authorized by law.    

     (6) The use of telemedicine is not intended to replace registered nurse health care visit[s] when necessary.

     (7) For the purposes of this section, "telemedicine" means the use of telemonitoring to enhance the delivery of certain home health medical services through:

     (a) The provision of certain education related to health care services using audio, video, or data communication instead of a face-to-face visit; or

     (b) The collection of clinical data and the transmission of such data between a patient at a distant location and the home health provider through electronic processing technologies. Objective clinical data that may be transmitted includes, but is not limited to, weight, blood pressure, pulse, respirations, blood glucose, and pulse oximetry.

[2009 c 326 § 1.]