Annual Telehealth State of the States Report From ATA: Recognition, Policy and Reimbursement Vary Widely

 

WASHINGTON, DC, JULY 18, 2019 – The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) today released its 2019 State of the States Report: Coverage and Reimbursement, a wide-ranging analysis of telehealth laws and policies across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This comprehensive, state-by-state analysis includes a review of how patient settings, different technologies, and provider types are treated across the country, as well as detailed information on the unique policies dictating reimbursement and coverage of telehealth services in the U.S.

“This year’s ATA report illustrates the increasing recognition of telehealth, and can guide federal and state lawmakers to identify and address policy gaps. Collectively, states are realizing the many benefits of telehealth and are implementing policies that advance utilization,” said Ann Mond Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of ATA. “It’s clear that more states are adopting telehealth solutions, but some lack the authority or resources needed to fully deploy telehealth across the state. ATA supports expanding research opportunities to increase innovation and reduce costs, to help incentivize states to continue to adopt telehealth services.”

Key findings from the ATA report on telehealth coverage and reimbursement:

• 40 states and the District of Columbia have adopted substantive policies or received awards to expand telehealth coverage and reimbursement since 2017.
• 36 states and D.C. have parity policies for private payer coverage; only 21 states and D.C. have coverage parity policies in Medicaid.
• 28 states have Medicaid payment parity policies; only 16 mandate payment parity for private payers.
• The majority of states have no restrictions around eligible provider types; ten states have authorized six or more types of providers to treat patients through telehealth.
• Only 16 states limit telehealth to synchronous technologies while most of the country recognizes the benefits of remote patient monitoring (RPM) and store and forward (S&F).

“Our 2019 State of the States Report is an important tool for our member organizations as well as policymakers, identifying those states that are excelling at advancing telehealth policy, and the barriers and opportunities which vary widely across the policy landscape,” added Mond Johnson. “ATA looks forward to continuing our work with stakeholders and policymakers on advancing policies at the state and federal levels, to ensure appropriate reimbursement and coverage of telehealth services.”

About the American Telemedicine Association
As the only organization completely focused on advancing telehealth, the ATA is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and appropriate care when and where they need it, enabling the system to do more good for more people. ATA represents a broad and inclusive member network of technology solution providers and payers, as well as partner organizations and alliances, working to advance industry adoption of telehealth, promote responsible policy, advocate for government and market normalization, and provide education and resources to help integrate virtual care into emerging value-based delivery models.

Contact: Amy Gaddis
agaddis@americantelemed.org