Originating Site
Under traditional Medicare telehealth rules, the location of the patient at the time of the telehealth service.
1 min read · Last reviewed May 23, 2026
At a glance
- Category
- Telehealth
- Primary sources
- 1
- Workspace handoff
- ask d3 →
Where this comes up
Telehealth coding, place-of-service, modifier (95, GT, GQ, FQ, FR), and post-PHE policy parity all converge here. State licensure rules and DEA controlled-substance prescribing rules add a second compliance layer most billers learn about only after the first denial.
Full definition
What it is in practice
42 CFR 410.78 historically restricted originating sites to specific facilities in rural HPSAs. The Consolidated Appropriations Act extensions waived most of these restrictions for many telehealth services; the patient's home is now an eligible originating site for many CPT codes.
How it shows up in your practice
Track the CAA telehealth flexibility extensions. Permanent vs temporary status matters for service planning.
Sources
- CMS — Medicare Telehealth Services Listhttps://www.cms.gov/medicare/coverage/telehealth/list-services
Check originating-site rules in Ask D3
Open ask d3 →Related terms
- TelehealthTelehealthDelivery of health care services through audio-video or audio-only technology when the patient is not at the same location as the practitioner.
- TelehealthTelehealth POS Codes (02 and 10)Place of Service 02 (telehealth other than home) and POS 10 (telehealth in patient's home) identify telehealth encounters on professional claims.
- TelehealthRural Health ClinicA federally certified clinic in an underserved rural area that bills Medicare under a special all-inclusive rate methodology.
D3rx is a healthcare-billing and compliance research aid maintained by D3rx Inc. Articles are drafted by an LLM (Anthropic Claude) against primary HHS, OCR, CMS, eCFR, NIST, and state-regulator publications, and reviewed for restraint and source fidelity by the D3rx team.
Reviewer status: a named credentialed reviewer (CHC, CHPC, or healthcare attorney) is being engaged. Until that engagement is finalized, this page does not claim credentialed review.
Related across the archive
- GlossaryTelehealthDelivery of health care services through audio-video or audio-only technology when the patient is not at the same location as the practitioner.
- GlossaryTelehealth POS Codes (02 and 10)Place of Service 02 (telehealth other than home) and POS 10 (telehealth in patient's home) identify telehealth encounters on professional claims.
- GlossaryRural Health ClinicA federally certified clinic in an underserved rural area that bills Medicare under a special all-inclusive rate methodology.
- GlossaryDistant SiteUnder Medicare telehealth rules, the location of the practitioner delivering the telehealth service.
- GlossaryAudio-Only TelehealthTelehealth services delivered via telephone or other audio-only technology, without a video component.
- GlossaryModifier 93 (Audio-Only Synchronous Telehealth)CPT modifier indicating a synchronous telemedicine service rendered via audio-only technology.
- GlossaryModifier 95CPT modifier indicating a synchronous telemedicine service rendered via real-time interactive audio and video.
- RegulationMLN: Medicare Telehealth ServicesReference to Medicare's telehealth policy: covered services list, originating and distant site rules, technology requirements, and the COVID-era flexibilities and their post-PHE status.
This glossary entry is a research aid for billing and compliance staff. It does not provide legal, medical, or financial advice and does not replace counsel. References cited link to primary sources at HHS, OCR, CMS, eCFR, NIST, and the relevant payer or industry body.