Telemedicine

Study: Counties With Low Physician Access Also Have Poor Internet Access - 08/02/2023

Residents in rural counties and other medically underserved areas are the most likely to face a double  whammy: Not only do they have the lowest access to physicians and in-person health resources, but they also have the lowest access to the broadband internet services that can bring them telehealth, according to a new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health.

Texas Receives $3.3 Billion Federal Grant to Expand Broadband Access - 07/27/2023

Texas recently received the largest federal grant of any U.S. state to support broadband expansion, and the state has high need. Physicians say the boost will help ease telehealth care, among many other benefits. Read more.

COVID-19: Telemedicine - 07/20/2023

View COVID-19 resources related to Telemedicine.

UPDATE: Feds Poised to Extend COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Through Spring 2023 - 07/17/2023

After continued advocacy by the Texas Medical Association, American Medical Association, and other organizations, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seems likely to extend the COVID-19 public health emergency  for an 11th time.

PHE End Brings Changes for Telehealth, Billing, and Medicaid - 06/26/2023

The federal public health emergency related to COVID-19 will end May 11 – and with it, several flexibilities related to telehealth coverage, virtual physician supervision of nonphysician practitioners, and Medicaid enrollment for nearly 3 million Texans.

The Unwinding: What the End of the PHE Means for Telehealth - 05/09/2023

Throughout the pandemic, state and federal governments relaxed regulatory and payment barriers to health care by telemedicine. That includes paying for telemedicine visits at the same rate as in-person visits; allowing the use of non-HIPAA-compliant platforms; and removing so-called geographic site restrictions that would normally require a patient to be seen in the office. In 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also announced a new set of telehealth billing codes, particularly for behavioral health.

Telemedicine Billing, Coverage to Change with PHE End: Here’s How - 05/09/2023

The end of the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11 will kick off a series of changes to telehealth coverage and billing as physicians have known them for the past several years. Texas Medical Association experts were at the ready to prepare and educate physicians on the transition during a recent Ask the Expert event.

DEA Proposed Rules Address Telehealth Prescribing Post PHE - 03/08/2023

Physicians found new flexibility in prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the public health emergency is ending, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has proposed new rules for prescribers it says could preserve some of those flexibilities “with appropriate safeguards.”

How to Tell Patients About Your Online Practice Tools - 02/23/2023

When your practice adopts a new technology that directly involves patients, such as interactive online forms, a patient portal, or even a simple website, you need to tell patients about it and how using it will benefit them. Here are some suggestions for doing that.

Gap in Telehealth Flexibilities Could Harm Access to Care - 02/22/2023

Although Congress recently extended many telehealth flexibilities through 2024, the decision is so far not reflected in Medicare’s 2023 physician fee schedule, leaving a potential gap of confusion and access to care for Texas physicians and patients.

Feds to End COVID-19 Public Health Emergency in Mid-May - 02/07/2023

After nearly three years and 11 extensions, the Biden administration recently announced the COVID-19 public health emergency will finally expire May 11, fulfilling its commitment to give states at least 60 days’ notice of its expiration.

New “Indicator” Helps Medicare Patients Find Physicians Who Offer Telehealth - 01/23/2023

Two recent developments may broaden Medicare patients’ access to telehealth services beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accelerating Access: Texas' Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Membership Expands Care - 12/04/2022

Texas' recent membership in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact has made it easier for physicians to provide telemedicine care across state lines while also strengthening the Lone Star State's appeal to eligible, out-of-state physicians hoping to relocate.

Texas Laws and Regulations Relating to Telemedicine - 09/20/2022

The 85th Texas Legislature (2017) passed Senate Bill 1107, a bill that marks a significant shift in how physicians may provide telemedicine in Texas. This document describes the new Texas legal and regulatory requirements that apply to a physician providing telemedicine medical services.

Payment, Paperwork Parity Critical to Preserving Telehealth Gains, TMA Tells Lege - 09/20/2022

If pandemic era telehealth gains are to be preserved, lawmakers must help ensure physicians are paid the same rates and held to the same documentation and medical record retention standards for telehealth visits as they are for

Federal Telehealth Extension Bill Advances to Senate - 08/31/2022

Signaling strong support to build on the COVID-19-era gains in telemedicine, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would extend Medicare’s telehealth payment and regulatory flexibilities through the end of 2024, should the public health emergency end before then.

Feds Clarify HIPAA Enforcement When Public Health Emergency Ends - 06/29/2022

New federal guidance clarifies that relaxed HIPAA enforcement will end at the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency, while offering instruction on how physicians and others covered by HIPAA can continue to use remote communication technologies to provide audio-only telehealth services.

Have a Say in Texas’ Broadband Expansion Plan - 04/14/2022

Telemedicine has made a home in the health care system, and the trend will continue as broadband availability increases thanks to infusion of new state and federal funding.

Physicians Support Making Pandemic-Era Telehealth Policies Permanent, Survey Shows - 04/06/2022

A vast majority of physicians currently use telehealth and would like to see the pandemic-era policies that enabled its rapid expansion stick around so they can continue to do so.

Biden Order Carries Implications for Telehealth, Maternal Health, and Drug Costs - 04/05/2022

President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order that directs 17 federal agencies to commit to 36 customer service improvements, including making it easier for people to apply for the services and benefits to which they are entitled. It has far-reaching implications for health care.

A Looming Deadline: What the Public Health Emergency's End Means for Coverage - 03/31/2022

The end of the public health emergency could mean big changes to Medicaid, telemedicine, and private insurance coverage.

Congress Extends Telemedicine Flexibilities in Medicare - 03/23/2022

The COVID-19-era flexibilities for telemedicine in Medicare will last at least another five months following recent action by Congress.

TMA Resource: Help Your Patients Adapt to Telemedicine - 03/04/2022

Even with the COVID-19 pandemic appearing to be lessening, and many practices reporting the majority of their patient visits are once again in person, it’s important to let your patients know telemedicine options still exist.

Telemedicine’s Tipping Point: Pandemic Exposed Longstanding Coverage Issues - 01/20/2022

Dr. Atkisson found that telemedicine addressed one of the most pressing issues facing her profession: a dire shortage of psychiatrists that predates the pandemic.

AMA Report: Telehealth Use Spiked Between 2018 and 2020 - 10/27/2021

The percentage of physicians using telehealth skyrocketed during a two-year period that covered the first several months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new American Medical Association report.