Illinois House Bill 3498 aligns telehealth coverage and reimbursements with in-person care.
Illinois' Coalition to Protect Telehealth is backing a bill to protect and make permanent consumer access to telehealth services post-COVID-19 pandemic.
Illinois House Bill 3498 aligns telehealth coverage and reimbursements with in-person care.
"Over the last year, we’ve seen significant, rapid development in telehealth technology," said the bill's sponsor, State Rep. Deb Conroy (46th House District).
"Initially spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, both state and federal government enacted policy changes to make telehealth services easier to access and, as a result, healthcare providers, professionals and patients have seen that virtual care preserves quality and safety, while also accommodating patients’ individual needs," Conroy said.
"Illinois should support this continued investment in telehealth and the important role it will play in modernizing healthcare delivery and empowering patients," she said.
Before the COVID-19 public health emergency, 36 states had coverage parity policies and 16 states had payment parity for commercial health plans. Illinois required neither. For Medicaid, 21 states had coverage parity policies and 28 states had payment parity. Illinois offers limited Medicaid coverage for telehealth services but has no laws that direct Medicaid to treat telehealth and in-person services the same for these purposes.
A September 2020 survey by the Illinois State Medical Society found that three-out-of-four physicians had not used telehealth before the public health emergency, many citing cost and lousy reimbursements. Half of the surveyed physicians said telehealth was particularly helpful for vulnerable patients who have trouble accessing in-person visits.
The provisions of House Bill 3498 ban geographic or facility restrictions on telehealth services and allow patients to be treated virtually in their homes. The bill also mandates that patients not be required to use a separate panel of providers for telehealth services, nor would they be required to prove a hardship or access barrier to receive telehealth services.
Conversely, the bill mandates that patients cannot be required to use telehealth services and gives providers latitude to determine the appropriateness care venues and technology platforms for telehealth services.
“Illinois should support this continued investment in telehealth and the important role it will play in modernizing healthcare delivery and empowering patients.”
Illinois State Rep. Deb Conroy (46th House District)
John Commins is the news editor for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
House Bill 3498 bans geographic or facility restrictions on telehealth services and allow patients to be treated virtually in their homes.
The bill also mandates that patients not be required to use a separate panel of providers for telehealth services, nor would they be required to prove a hardship or access barrier to receive telehealth services.
Conversely, the bill mandates that patients cannot be required to use telehealth services and gives providers latitude to determine the appropriateness care venues and technology platforms for telehealth services.