COVID-19 Telehealth Toolkit to Accelerate State Use of Telehealth in Medicaid and CHIP

Author: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - Contact: cms.gov
Published: 2020/04/23 - Updated: 2023/01/08
Peer-Reviewed: N/A
On This Page: Summary - Main Article - About/Author

Synopsis: This toolkit provides U.S. states with issues to consider as they evaluate the need to expand their telehealth capabilities and coverage policies. The toolkit will help states identify restrictions on telehealth eligibility, like only allowing coverage for beneficiaries who live in rural areas. Given importance to the pediatric population, states should consider consent and privacy laws in development of telehealth coverage policies for children.

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Main Digest

The Trump Administration has just released a new toolkit for states to help accelerate the adoption of broader telehealth coverage policies in the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This release builds on the agency's swift actions to provide states with a wide range of tools and guidance to support their ability to care for their Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries during this public health emergency.

Ensuring that patients can safely receive the care they need at home minimizes travel to healthcare facilities and supports efforts to limit the community's spread of the virus. Under President Trump's leadership, CMS has taken numerous steps to ensure that Americans can access the health care services they need through electronic and virtual means. Swift actions in Medicare have ensured that the nation's health coverage program for seniors can pay for telehealth services delivered nationwide and in any setting. Recent steps have expanded Medicare payment for 80 additional telehealth services.

Building on those actions, CMS provides this toolkit for states to take similar steps. The state and federal governments jointly administer Medicaid and CHIP programs and provide health coverage for over 71 million Americans, including 35 million children. Coverage and payment policies vary by state within federal parameters, and this toolkit will help states identify policies that may impede telehealth's rapid deployment when providing care. States enjoy broad federal flexibility to cover telehealth through Medicaid, including which methods of communication (such as telephonic and video technology commonly available on smartphones and other devices) a state may use.

"While not all patient interactions can be delivered through telehealth, our clinicians on the frontlines need every tool in their arsenal to fight this invisible enemy," said CMS Administrator Seema Verma. "I'm urging states to use this toolkit to make sure our Medicaid patients, particularly our children, can continue to receive needed care from the safety of their homes."

This toolkit provides states with issues to consider as they evaluate the need to expand their telehealth capabilities and coverage policies, including:

The toolkit also includes a compilation of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and other resources available to states. This toolkit is the latest in a series of tools and checklists that CMS has released to help provide states with emergency flexibilities and resources that they need them during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

This release and earlier CMS actions in response to the COVID-19 virus are all part of ongoing White House Coronavirus Task Force efforts. To keep up with the important work, the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19, www.coronavirus.gov

For a complete and updated list of CMS actions, guidance, and other information in response to the COVID-19 virus, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.

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Attribution/Source(s):

This quality-reviewed article relating to our Telemedicine or eHealth section was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World due to its likely interest to our disability community readers. Though the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or length, the article "COVID-19 Telehealth Toolkit to Accelerate State Use of Telehealth in Medicaid and CHIP" was originally written by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and published by Disabled-World.com on 2020/04/23 (Updated: 2023/01/08). Should you require further information or clarification, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can be contacted at cms.gov. Disabled World makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith.

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Cite This Page (APA): Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (2020, April 23). COVID-19 Telehealth Toolkit to Accelerate State Use of Telehealth in Medicaid and CHIP. Disabled World. Retrieved November 29, 2023 from www.disabled-world.com/medical/ehealth/covid-19-telehealth.php

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