Zoom Shrink
March 16, 2020 5:41 PM Subscribe
Can I see my therapist over zoom/Skype/teams/whatev?
Are there HIPAA issues or anything? Colorado.
I'd prefer to hear from therapists/patients who have made this happen by the book.
Thanks!
Are there HIPAA issues or anything? Colorado.
I'd prefer to hear from therapists/patients who have made this happen by the book.
Thanks!
Best answer: My mother is a therapist and uses doxy.me as well. It’s very easy to use and a pretty good interface.
posted by holborne at 5:50 PM on March 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by holborne at 5:50 PM on March 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
Yes. There are a variety of HIPAA compliant platforms. You have to be located in the jurisdiction where they are licensed and they will typically have you verify that for the session.
Skype is not HIPAA-compliant. Zoom, Doxy.me, Google Hangouts Meet, VSee, Simple Practice are all compliant. Believe it or note FaceTime is also compliant as it is considered a conduit. Hangouts video is not compliant but Google Meet is.
Theoretically if a client "opts in" to a non compliant platform, understanding the risks, you as the client could choose that route also if you have a platform you are partial to.
Some insurance plans cover telemental health. Your existing provider may not be credentialed with their program of choice (Amwell, Teledoc, MDlive, etc). Call your insurer if you want to use insurance. Many are covering telehealth even if it wasn't originally a benefit.
posted by crunchy potato at 5:56 PM on March 16, 2020 [4 favorites]
Skype is not HIPAA-compliant. Zoom, Doxy.me, Google Hangouts Meet, VSee, Simple Practice are all compliant. Believe it or note FaceTime is also compliant as it is considered a conduit. Hangouts video is not compliant but Google Meet is.
Theoretically if a client "opts in" to a non compliant platform, understanding the risks, you as the client could choose that route also if you have a platform you are partial to.
Some insurance plans cover telemental health. Your existing provider may not be credentialed with their program of choice (Amwell, Teledoc, MDlive, etc). Call your insurer if you want to use insurance. Many are covering telehealth even if it wasn't originally a benefit.
posted by crunchy potato at 5:56 PM on March 16, 2020 [4 favorites]
My wife is a therapist. Short answer is, yes. Longer answer is, make sure your insurance is ok with it, and you might need to do some paperwork. It’s also kind of a pain if you reside in a different state than your therapist is licensed in, but otherwise you can and probably should.
posted by kevinbelt at 6:10 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by kevinbelt at 6:10 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
In MA, the governor and insurance companies just announced that teletherapy is fully covered for the duration of this lockdown and therapists can do therapy remotely for their patients with the usual coverage.
This will vary from therapist to therapist but almost every one I know of is doing some kind of teletherapy righ tnow.
posted by gideonfrog at 6:12 PM on March 16, 2020 [5 favorites]
This will vary from therapist to therapist but almost every one I know of is doing some kind of teletherapy righ tnow.
posted by gideonfrog at 6:12 PM on March 16, 2020 [5 favorites]
Best answer: I've been using Skype with my therapist for the past two weeks, as she's in a high risk demographic. I don't submit for insurance reimbursement, only FSA reimbursement, and she hasn't changed anything about about the CPT code that the sessions are categorized under on the bill she sends me. Basically, moving to Skype hasn't changed anything in the the logistics around therapy for me.
posted by nevernines at 6:42 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by nevernines at 6:42 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I kept my U.S. therapist when I moved to Mexico two years ago. We see each other once a week over FaceTime, WhatsApp, or worst case Skype. His take is that for the purpose of the insurance he has on his practice it’s exactly the same as a phone call. HIPAA hasn’t come up.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 9:27 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 9:27 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Yes. There are a variety of HIPAA compliant platforms. You have to be located in the jurisdiction where they are licensed and they will typically have you verify that for the session.
Skype is not HIPAA-compliant. Zoom, Doxy.me, Google Hangouts Meet, VSee, Simple Practice are all compliant. Believe it or note FaceTime is also compliant as it is considered a conduit. Hangouts video is not compliant but Google Meet is.
Theoretically if a client "opts in" to a non compliant platform, understanding the risks, you as the client could choose that route also if you have a platform you are partial to.
Some insurance plans cover telemental health. Your existing provider may not be credentialed with their program of choice (Amwell, Teledoc, MDlive, etc). Call your insurer if you want to use insurance. Many are covering telehealth even if it wasn't originally a benefit.
posted by crunchy potato at 5:56 PM on March 16 [4 favorites]
(I work in the service provider space and am familiar with the asks)
No service provider like Skype, Zoom, Doxy.me or Hangouts are actually HIPAA compliant because they are not Covered Entities under the law. Despite what they say on their websites, they are not, nor are they required to be "HIPAA Compliant."
It does make for good marketing, though.
What they will do in most cases is sign a Business Associate Agreement with the health care provider, and provide some tools allowing that provider to operate in a compliant manner. As noted upthread, if you're not dealing with insurance, this is probably a non-issue.
It doesn't matter what tool is used - it's your health care provider who has to be compliant.
posted by Thistledown at 1:06 PM on March 17, 2020
Skype is not HIPAA-compliant. Zoom, Doxy.me, Google Hangouts Meet, VSee, Simple Practice are all compliant. Believe it or note FaceTime is also compliant as it is considered a conduit. Hangouts video is not compliant but Google Meet is.
Theoretically if a client "opts in" to a non compliant platform, understanding the risks, you as the client could choose that route also if you have a platform you are partial to.
Some insurance plans cover telemental health. Your existing provider may not be credentialed with their program of choice (Amwell, Teledoc, MDlive, etc). Call your insurer if you want to use insurance. Many are covering telehealth even if it wasn't originally a benefit.
posted by crunchy potato at 5:56 PM on March 16 [4 favorites]
(I work in the service provider space and am familiar with the asks)
No service provider like Skype, Zoom, Doxy.me or Hangouts are actually HIPAA compliant because they are not Covered Entities under the law. Despite what they say on their websites, they are not, nor are they required to be "HIPAA Compliant."
It does make for good marketing, though.
What they will do in most cases is sign a Business Associate Agreement with the health care provider, and provide some tools allowing that provider to operate in a compliant manner. As noted upthread, if you're not dealing with insurance, this is probably a non-issue.
It doesn't matter what tool is used - it's your health care provider who has to be compliant.
posted by Thistledown at 1:06 PM on March 17, 2020
The US Dept. of Health and Human Services is waiving HIPAA requirements for telehealth during the COVID-19 emergency.
posted by mbrubeck at 1:51 PM on March 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
During the COVID-19 national emergency, which also constitutes a nationwide public health emergency, covered health care providers subject to the HIPAA Rules may seek to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies. Some of these technologies, and the manner in which they are used by HIPAA covered health care providers, may not fully comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules.The intention is to allow providers to use Skype, FaceTime, Hangouts, etc. if they don't have approved communication tools available.
OCR will exercise its enforcement discretion and will not impose penalties for noncompliance with the regulatory requirements under the HIPAA Rules against covered health care providers in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. This notification is effective immediately.
posted by mbrubeck at 1:51 PM on March 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mskyle at 5:49 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]