Complete Story
06/27/2018
Medicaid Considers Expanding Telehealth
On June 14, LeadingAge Ohio joined advocates from across the healthcare sector to discuss expanding the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s (ODM) telehealth rule. According to ODM officials, the rule was originally crafted very narrowly, at a time when telehealth had minimally penetrated the healthcare market and was more a hypothetical than a tangible tool. Since then, remote visits, telemonitoring and other technologies have expanded greatly, enabling health care providers to respond nimbly to client needs.
Stakeholders advocated for expansion of the rule in several ways:
- Expand the definition of “originating site” to allow a provider to communicate remotely with a client/patient from any location, including his/her home.
- Expand the definition of “remote site” to include various settings. Stakeholders advocated for inclusion of schools, home- and community-based settings and even private homes.
- Expand the types of professionals who may provide telehealth services to include licensed independent social workers (LISWs), among others.
- Remove the five-mile radius rule, which has previously prohibited providers from offering telehealth to some clients that might otherwise benefit.
LeadingAge Ohio shared that in an after-hour crisis, telehealth can link older Ohioans to providers to prevent costly ER visits or hospitalizations. Similarly, older adults can benefit from remote monitoring technology which can help them remain in independent homes or assisted living settings as long as possible.
LeadingAge Ohio will be submitting comments to ODM by its July 13 deadline, and encourages members who currently use telehealth or telemonitoring devices to contact Susan Wallace at swallace@leadingageohio.org to share their experiences.