Telehealth

Resources for Integrated Care (RIC) recently released a brief on telehealth, and its impact on dually eligible people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). As noted by RIC, people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, as well as people with I/DD, are diagnosed with multiple chronic conditions at higher rates than the general population and often face barriers with access to healthcare. Telehealth services have been increasing in popularity and usage and has the potential to positively impact people with I/DD. Health plans can utilize the information in the document to further their understanding of how telehealth modalities can improve access to person centered care for people with I/DD.

CMS added a new telehealth indicator on clinician profile pages on Medicare Care Compare and in the Provider Data Catalog (PDC). The new indicator helps beneficiaries and caregivers find clinicians who provide telehealth services. This is especially helpful for patients seeking telehealth due to the ongoing public health emergency,

A new Policy Spotlight from the Aging and Disability Business Institute and the National Council on Aging provides an overview of how telehealth has changed as a result of the pandemic. The Policy Spotlight outlines the current challenges related to access to telehealth, identifies opportunities for the Aging Network and discusses legislative actions for expanding telehealth.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many providers to transition to telehealth when it became the only way patients could access health services. Medicaid agencies now have an opportunity to support phone-based telemedicine in primary care beyond the pandemic, and many are already doing so. This blog post explores strategies that Medicaid agencies can use to suport audio-only telehealth moving forward, including extending payment parity for telehealth visits and using value-based payment models.

CMS released a new supplement to its State Medicaid & CHIP Telehealth Toolkit that provides new examples and insights into lessons learned from states that have implemented telehealth changes. The toolkit includes approaches and tools states can use to communicate with providers on utilizing telehealth. The toolkit includes updates and consolidates the FAQs and resources for states to consider as they begin planning beyond the temporary flexibilities provided in response to the pandemic.

The updated supplemental information is intended to help states strategically think through how they explain and clarify to telehealth providers and other stakeholders which policies are temporary or permanent. It also helps states identify: • Services that can be accessed through telehealth • Which providers may deliver those services • Ways providers may use in order to deliver services through telehealth, • Circumstances under which telehealth can be reimbursed once the PHE expires

MACPAC’s 2018 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP addresses managed care, telehealth, and disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment. The report presents recommendations and analyses backed up by analyses of administrative data and reviews of federal and state policies in each of these areas.