|
It might not be as bad as you fear!
But, it's definitely a mix of "good news and bad news..."
Many states have enacted legislation protecting telehealth coverage. Some include commercial plans, while others only legislate Medicaid coverage.
The Center for Connected Health Policy is my go-to resource whenever I need information about telehealth. If you want to know what your state requires of private payers, they have the answer!
Keep in mind: plans vary WIDELY. Legal jurisdictions & governing entities are not always where (or who) you think they are. These charts are no substitute for asking the payer about your client's specific policy. But they're a good start. There's also information on the site about parity for telehealth, both coverage parity and payment parity (the bad news is that payment parity is still a long way from being universal, and that with the end of the PHE, this is where we will no doubt see the effects of a return to "normal.")
Check the State tab for information you may need about your state's Medicaid plan.
For Medicare, CCHP published a chart of all telehealth flexibilities, with dates on when each will expire, or has already expired. You can find it here. It's a great reference, and about as clearly explained as one is likely to get, with Medicare. If you really want the English translation, you'll need to attend my webinar on May 19th, where I'll go over it in detail. See below for registration information.
Be sure to read the footnote on the last page for some bad news ... If you've been conducting telehealth from home and have not yet registered your home address as a virtual service location with Medicare, you MUST do so by December 31, 2023.
| 
