Telemedicine Trends: December 21, 2023 to January 3, 2024
Friday, January 5, 2024
Telehealth trends focus on state legal and regulatory developments impacting healthcare providers, telemedicine and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that provide and facilitate virtual care.
Trends over the past week:
- behavioral health
- interstate highway compact
Learn more
Enactment of final laws and regulations
- arkansas Announced final rule allowing certain assessments under the Arkansas Independent Assessment (ARIA) System to be conducted via telehealth. The ARIA system is used to perform functional needs assessments of eligible Medicaid recipients who receive services through either state waiver programs or state plan personal care services.
- mississippi announced a final rule adding certified marriage and family therapists and Mississippi Department of Health clinics to the list of telehealth providers eligible for Medicaid. The final rule also clarifies that Medicaid does not cover physician or other practitioner visits via telemedicine for evaluation and management level IV or V visits.
- new jersey This replacement bill amends section 11 of PL2021, c.310, to extend the termination date from 31 December 2023 to 31 December 2024. During that time, New Jersey’s health benefits plan will end. We need to expand coverage and payment parity for telehealth services. Health care services provided to a covered person through telemedicine or telemedicine must be covered at the same rate as the in-person provider’s reimbursement rate to the extent that they would be covered by the health benefit plan if provided in-person. It doesn’t have to be.
- Washington DC, We have issued a final rule that updates Medicaid assertive community treatment reimbursement from a fee-for-service model to a monthly fee model. The new model requires eight consumer-to-her contacts per calendar month. Three of the eight required contacts can be made through . Assertive Community Treatment Programs provide intensive, integrated, community-based rehabilitation treatment for adults with serious and persistent mental illness.
- Virginia will participate in the Counseling Licensing Agreement, effective January 1, 2024. The authorizing bill was signed into law on March 27, 2023, with the effective date postponed.
Proposal-level legislation and rulemaking activities
highlight:
- in new jersey, AB 5311 passed the General Assembly on a vote of 73-0-0. If this bill becomes law, New Jersey will join the Counseling Compact.
- new jersey’s The General Assembly also passed SB 3604 by a vote of 74-0-0. The bill authorizes the use of health care platforms that provide discounted pricing for prescription and nonprescription drugs or devices, and for telemedicine and telehealth services.
Why it’s important:
- Activity surrounding licensing agreements continues to increase. States ended the year by adopting interstate compacts for various professions. In general, these state efforts demonstrate a desire to reduce the burden of the licensing process and facilitate practice in multiple jurisdictions without relinquishing authority over professional licensure.
- States continue to pass rules to increase access to behavioral health services. This week, Mississippi Medicaid added coverage for services provided by certified marriage and family therapists and Mississippi Department of Health clinics. Washington, D.C. also issued a final rule permitting reimbursement for telehealth services under the Assertive Community Treatment reimbursement methodology.