Coronavirus Hub

Frequently asked questions, remote care and billing

Update

This information was updated on Friday 18 December at 3.15pm and is correct as of that date.

Vitality's response to coronavirus

Improving our members’ wellbeing and making sure they receive the best care is our priority during these unprecedented times.

We work closely with the NHS and private providers to ensure patients are seen and prioritised in order of clinical need. We’re also working to find alternatives, like remote care, that members can benefit from.

We will continue to monitor the situation and have measures in-line with the UK Government and Public Health England advice.

Support

Operating hours

Vitality is operating normal service hours: These are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. You can call us on 0800 092 9400 or email helpline@vitality.co.uk.

Member information

We have identified 1500+ consultants that provide video consultations and can refer members for diagnostic services. Members can use our Vitality GP app for GP consultations and access remote mental health information or physiotherapy services. We’re also contacting members waiting for further treatment to explain we’ll cover their care as soon as private hospitals are able.

Covid-19 Cashback Benefit

If our members are affected by coronavirus and need an NHS hospital stay, we offer a Covid-19 Cashback Benefit that pays up to £5,000 for their stay at the hospital. Terms and conditions apply.

Paper post

We accept post, but email is the quickest way to get in touch on helpline@vitality.co.uk. But we do not accept clinician invoices via post and they will not be processed. Register and submit invoices on the Healthcode website.

Postponed treatment

Our members are still covered for eligible treatment as long as it’s agreed and their plan is active on the rescheduled booking date.

Pre-authorised treatment

Vitality can still pre-authorise treatment. It’s difficult to predict how long members will need to wait and we can offer some alternatives in the meantime.

Remote care

We allow phone or video consultations for our members when it can help their care. Remote consultations can be offered where appropriate, but quality standards must be maintained. Remote consultations should not be offered with face-to-face care. We will be audit remote consultations, and you may be contacted to provide further information. If you wish to provide remote care to our members or have any questions, email remote.consults@vitality.co.uk.

Vitality Specialist Finder

We have developed the Vitality Specialist Finder powered by Doctify, an independent online review and booking platform for clinical consultants. It means our Member Care team can find doctors by speciality, rating and location. We can easily identify the consultants who offer video consultations using this. Vitality Specialist Finder will soon be available for members too.

Video consultations

If you don’t already have a secure way of hosting videos, Doctify has released a new feature – Doctify Video Consultation platform. This offers you an alternative way to communicate with patients.

Primary care

Vitality health insurance members have access to Vitality GP, where they can set up video GP consultations, get onward consultant referrals and arrange remote mental health sessions.

Secondary care

We can direct members to consultants that provide either phone or video consultations and refer to diagnostic services where necessary.

Oncology

Consultants can invoice your regular fees for initial and follow-up consultations. Please use the remote codes listed in the billing FAQ if the consultation is remote.

Mental health specialists

Psychiatrists can invoice their regular fees. Use the remote codes listed in the billing FAQ if the consultation is remote.

Our members can self-refer themselves to Talking Therapies and access digital support services like Togetherall and Headspace.

Physiotherapy

Remote physiotherapy sessions are available with recognised specialists or our partner Ascenti. They can set out a programme of exercises and remote sessions to support members.

Consultant billing

Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) deleted these codes in October 2020:

20350: Remote consultation, up to 15 minutes
20360: Remote consultation, 16 – 29 minutes
20370: Remote consultation. 30 minutes or more.

Please use the new CCSD and ISC remote consultation codes that have been created. Consultants can bill fees up to £160 for initial consultations:

CCSD 20355 (remote)
ISC SP000236 (remote)

Consultants can bill up to £120 for follow-up consultations:

CCSD 20365 (remote)
ISC SP000237

Therapist billing

Physiotherapists can bill up to £35 per session, once a week. Members will need to get authorisation for their care. Remote appointments will come out of the member's out-patient allowance. Please use the following codes to bill for these sessions:

PH000146 (initial remote consultation)
PH000145 (physiotherapy)

Chiropractors and osteopaths can provide video consultations. Use the consultation codes you would normally use and bill up to £42.

Podiatrists and Podiatric Surgeons can provide video consultations. Use the consultation codes that you would normally use and bill up to £55.

Dietitians can provide video consultations for our members. Use the consultation codes that you would normally use and bill up to £45.

Speech therapists can provide video consultations. Use the consultation codes you would normally use and bill up to £70.

Practitioners, psychologists and psychotherapists can invoice their fees for initial and follow-up consultations. Please use the consultation codes you would normally use.

We’re currently not authorising claims for remote consultations for acupuncturists, homeopaths and audiologists.

Important information

Consultants and therapists must adhere to our Terms of Recognition
We’ll not fund more than one out-patient consultation per member per week, two out-patient consultations per member per month or 10 out-patient consultations per member per year
We’ll only fund the number of consultations that have been authorised
Remote consultations will still come out of members out-patient benefits
Remote consultations are being audited
You’ll be contacted if our Terms of Recognition aren’t used.