So, we’ve gotten used to telemedicine. Sure, many of us wanted this to be available decades ago, but state regulators and the HHS (Health and Human Services) weren’t willing to let us participate. State regulators want all their health practitioners to be licensed in-state; too many telemedicine practitioners are from different states and lack the local credential. HHS had no clue how to compensate practitioners.
But, the pandemic changed all that. All of a sudden, doctors were fearful of meeting patients. Patients were terrified to venture into a physician’s office, where all sorts of diseases ran rampant. So, telemedicine was acceptable- instantaneously the legal/insurance regulations were wiped away, practicing medicine across state lines was no longer an impediment (normally this would be a criminal offense)- and compensation rates were developed (to be the same as in-person rates).
Yet, with the dissipation of the pandemic and a return to normalcy, telemedicine providers are scared shi…ss that their constituents are going to be forced to return to in-person medicine. Which is a real problem, since it seems 2/3 of us would prefer receiving at least some of our health care via telemedicine.
After all, telemedicine became acceptable due to the pandemic “emergency measures”-not via conventional protocol. The good news- President Biden has committed to keeping the “emergency measures” in place for the rest of this year.
State legislatures are considering measures to keep telemedicine available for their residents. (Right now, it’s just Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Arkansas.) And, it looks like a bill being presented to the Senate has 51 sponsors (yes- in spite of the poison politics that prevail today).
So, perhaps, telemedicine may get to stay. Which is a big boon for mental health (since the bulk of the current telemedicine sessions seem to be related to behavioral health); endocrinology, neurology, and rheumatology are the next most frequent choices (but no where near the rate of behavioral health).
Maybe you should call your elected officials to make sure telemedicine sticks around.
I wasn’t aware this was in danger. I’m on Medicare and a quick online search revealed, yes, Medicare coverage for telehealth is very much in danger. But when I was still working full time, my (private) health insurer was already promoting telemedicine with lower co pays if you didn’t go into the office – but mainly for when you would otherwise go to a walk in. Not regular Dr. visits. None of this even makes sense.
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So, it’s our job to contact our representatives to ensure they continue allowing telemedicine to be among our health care choices.