By
Manatt Health
Funding Area
Empowering Health Care Consumers
Date
July 2024
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Telehealth use spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitated by state and federal policy changes. Before and throughout the pandemic, New York State enacted several temporary measures to expand telehealth access, removing delivery restrictions and broadening reimbursement policies for Medicaid and commercial plans. These efforts enabled providers to offer patients a wide range of virtual health care services in a variety of settings. Although New York has been a national leader in telehealth, opportunities remain to strengthen and enshrine existing policies.
A new report prepared by Manatt Health for the New York Health Foundation provides a comprehensive assessment of the post-pandemic telehealth policy landscape in New York State. It also offers policy recommendations for policymakers and advocates, to ensure and expand equitable access to telehealth. This report—informed by the latest literature, policies, and clinical best practices, as well as interviews with key stakeholders—offers a roadmap to enhance and sustain telehealth services across the State.
Some key recommendations from the report include:
- Permanent Payment Parity: Establishing permanent payment parity for virtual visits across all payers to ensure accessibility and encourage provider investment.
- Equitable Reimbursement for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs): Reimbursing FQHCs at full rates for remote visits to support patient access and provider retention.
- Cross-State Licensure: Implementing a New York State-specific approach to cross-state licensure to address provider shortages and maintain continuity of care.