TRENDS
Which States Have the Best Telehealth Practices? A new report rates every state’s telehealth policy for patient access and ease of providing virtual care. By Pete Mercer
Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has created for the entire world in the past two years, it has also presented
a unique opportunity for people that still needed access to healthcare. Millions of people in the U.S. tried telehealth for the first time because of the pandemic, made easier by changes federal officials made to the Medicare program as well as governors waving certain barriers to advance health access with flexible provider licensure for new uses of telehealth.
After public health emergencies started to end and executive orders were withdrawn, much of the flexibility that users enjoyed for months disappeared almost immediately. Even the new laws passed by certain states only made incremental changes without a sort “best practices” roadmap. Telehealth was a dynamic solution during an unprecedented time, which makes all of the new challenges with utilizing more frustrating and confusing than before. A new report from Reason Foundation, Cicero Institute and Pioneer Institute rates every state’s telehealth policy for patient access and ease of providing virtual care. With 42
March 2022
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this in-depth report on the current state of the telehealth landscape throughout the country, this may provide some relief for healthcare providers and patients alike. In a media release regarding the report, Josh Archambault, senior fellow with Cicero Institute and Pioneer Institute and co-author of the report, wrote, “While they cannot and should not replace all in-person medical appointments, virtual visits can save patients time and help them avoid germ-filled waiting rooms. Providers can also take some pressure off overburdened systems as they can see patients from an office or home.”
