Manatt Health Managing Director Jared Augenstein was quoted in mHealthIntelligence on how state-level telehealth policies have evolved over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, expectations for how they may change as the end of the public health emergency approaches, and predictions for how states might address telehealth policy in 2023.
In the article, Augenstein explained how telehealth regulations changed over the course of the pandemic. “At the highest level, I think we've shifted from policy issues related to questions like, 'Is telehealth covered?' or 'In which locations can telehealth be provided?' to a kind of more advanced set of policy issues around what will coverage and reimbursement look like for non-video modalities? And how are we actually paying for really specific types of services and how do we enable providers to practice across state lines, but still maintain an ability for the state medical boards to play the role that they have,” Augenstein said.
Augenstein also noted how the number of pandemic-related flexibilities have declined as states end their public health emergency status, stating that “only seven states have any sort of ongoing telehealth licensure flexibility.” As health care stakeholders continue to evaluate how the use of telehealth impacts patient care, states must decide how to address these policies on a variety of fronts.