What is the POS code for telehealth visits?

The primary Place of Service (POS) codes for telehealth visits are 02 and 10, depending on where the patient is located during the encounter.

Telehealth POS Codes

• POS 02 – Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient's Home: Use this code when the patient is located in a setting other than their private residence (such as a clinic, hospital, or skilled nursing facility) during the telehealth service.
• POS 10 – Telehealth Provided in Patient's Home: Use this code when the patient receives the telehealth service from their personal residence or private home.

Key Billing Considerations

• Location-Based: The selection of POS 02 or POS 10 is determined by the patient's physical location, not the provider's location.
• Reimbursement Rates: Services billed with POS 10 are generally reimbursed at non-facility rates, whereas POS 02 visits may follow facility-rate guidelines depending on the payer.
• Modifiers: Payers often require specific modifiers alongside these POS codes—such as Modifier 95 for synchronous audio-video communication or Modifier 93 for audio-only interactions.

Coding telehealth visits in 2026 requires knowing that Medicare and commercial payers use entirely different rules, as outlined by the Billing For Healthcare Guide.

Medicare Payer Rules

• Standard E/M Codes: Medicare does not reimburse the dedicated CPT codes 98000 through 98015.
• Required Coding: Use standard office visit codes (99202–99215) paired with the correct Place of Service (POS) code and modifiers.
• Virtual Check-ins: Use CPT 98016 for brief 5-to-10 minute audio or video check-ins with established patients (replacing old code G2012).
• Review additional billing breakdowns at the MedLife MBS Reference.

Commercial Payer Rules

• Dedicated CPT Family: Many commercial plans accept the AMA-created telemedicine set (98000–98015) for synchronous audio-video and audio-only visits.
• Alternative Requirements: Some commercial contracts still follow Medicare's style and require standard E/M codes with a telehealth modifier instead.
• Check specific plan contracts using insights from the MedSole RCM Overview.

Place of Service (POS) Codes

• POS 10: Patient is at home (pays at the higher non-facility rate).
• POS 02: Patient is located somewhere other than home (facility rate).

Key Modifiers

• Modifier 95: Real-time audio and video interactive communication.
• Modifier 93: Synchronous audio-only communication.

For telehealth billing, use Place of Service (POS) Code 10 when the patient is in their home, and use POS Code 02 when the patient is located anywhere else.

Telehealth POS Codes

• POS 10 (Telehealth Provided in Patient's Home): Use this code when the patient receives the virtual service while physically located in a private residence. This option typically triggers the non-facility (in-office) payment rate.
• POS 02 (Telehealth Provided Other Than in Patient's Home): Use this code when the patient is at a location outside of a private residence, such as a clinic, hospital, school, or workplace. This option often triggers a facility payment rate.

Best Practices for Billing

• Base it on the patient: The POS code must reflect where the patient is sitting during the visit, not where the provider is located.
• Add modifiers: Pair your POS code with Modifier 95 for synchronous audio-video visits, or Modifier 93 for audio-only encounters, depending on payer requirements.

The main difference between Place of Service (POS) code 02 and POS code 10 is the physical location of the patient during the telehealth visit.

Patient Location Definitions

• POS 10 (Telehealth in Patient's Home): Used when the patient is located in their home (private residence, apartment, or temporary lodging like a hotel) at the time of the virtual visit.
• POS 02 (Telehealth Other than in Patient's Home): Used when the patient is located anywhere else besides their home, such as a clinic, office, hospital, or skilled nursing facility.

Reimbursement and Payment Rates

• POS 10: Generally paid at the non-facility rate, which reflects the higher overhead costs of care delivered to a residential setting and matches standard in-office payment levels for many payers.
• POS 02: Generally paid at the lower facility rate, acknowledging that the encounter took place in a setting where facility overhead applies.

The billing code for a telehealth visit depends on your insurance payer, whether the visit is audio-video or audio-only, and standard Telehealth Services guidelines.

Medicare and Fee-for-Service

• Standard E/M Codes: Medicare requires standard office/outpatient visit codes (99202–99205 for new patients, 99211–99215 for established patients).
• Place of Service (POS): Use POS 02 (telehealth outside the patient's home) or POS 10 (telehealth in the patient's home).
• Modifiers: Append Modifier 95 for synchronous audio-video, or Modifier 93 for audio-only services.

Commercial and Private Insurers

• Dedicated Telehealth Series (98000–98016): Many commercial payers accept the AMA CPT dedicated telehealth codes, which mirror office visits based on time or medical decision-making:
  • 98000–98007: Synchronous audio-video evaluation and management (E/M) services.
  • 98008–98015: Synchronous audio-only E/M services.
  • 98016: Brief, patient-initiated virtual check-in (5–10 minutes).
• Note: Always check specific commercial contracts, as adoption of the 98000 series varies.