The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) MLN Connects newsletter has posted a clarification regarding qualification requirements for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) when furnishing outpatient therapy services paid under Medicare Part B.
AHCA/NCAL previously posted about this topic in discussing recent technical updates to the Medicare Benefit Policy language that created some confusion. At the time, we recommended providers maintain existing personnel and billing practices related to Medicare Part B SLP Services. This clarification affirms our prior guidance.
“CMS defers to the state licensure requirements for SLPs in each state, allowing them to determine the SLPs that are most appropriate to provide speech-language pathology services to individuals/patients, including Medicare beneficiaries. CMS is clarifying that the state-licensed SLP may include provisional or temporary licensure as such individual completes required supervised experience and these SLPs may enroll as an SLP in Private Practice (SLPPP) and work for providers furnishing outpatient Part B speech-language pathology services, consistent with state requirements.”
Additional details that include SNF outpatient therapy claim bill types that this policy clarification applies to (22x, 23x) are on this
CMS webpage.