Telehealth utilization spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitated by state and federal policy change through the public health emergency declaration. Before and throughout the pandemic, New York State enacted several temporary measures to expand access to telehealth. New York removed restrictions to telehealth delivery and broadened its Medicaid and commercial telehealth policies to enable providers to deliver a comprehensive set of virtual health care services in a variety of settings. Although New York has been a national leader on telehealth, opportunities remain to strengthen and enshrine existing policies.

State policymakers are now revisiting whether to sunset or memorialize in statute policies temporarily enacted during the PHE. They are also considering additional policy changes to preserve and expand equitable access to telehealth services for all New Yorkers.

The purpose of this document is to highlight key issues policymakers are considering aimed at expanding equitable access to telehealth, including:

• Payment and Coverage Parity: Will temporary telehealth coverage and reimbursement parity across payers be extended or codified in statute?
• Payment Rates for Community Health Centers: Will different types of providers have different payment rates and flexibilities to provide telehealth?
• Cross-State Provider Licensure: Will telehealth be leveraged to allow providers in other states to provide patient care in New York and relieve workforce shortage and strain?

To read the fact sheet, click here.