The state Department of Health (DOH) has issued a 20-minute survey here for all health care providers on provider experiences using telehealth during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. The survey is due December 15.
DOH will use the results “to inform post-pandemic telehealth policy development,” specifically by the influential Reimagine New York Commission.
HCA encourages all members to respond so that your experience and needs are explicitly considered by state policymakers.
As we’ve separately reported, from our own recent member surveys, the number of home health providers having to turn to telehealth in the pandemic has doubled: from 22 percent of providers before the pandemic to 46 percent today.
Yet telehealth remains largely unreimbursed for Medicare and undercapitalized under Medicaid, making it all the more pressing for home and community-based providers to weigh in to DOH with your experiences.
All clinicians are encouraged to respond. While DOH asks for one survey response per individual clinician, DOH stresses that it seeks perspectives from multiple clinicians from the same organization, “especially if they have different perspectives,” so please share the survey with all clinicians who have a telehealth role.
Related resources
In its announcement on the survey, DOH references the following links for background:
- Medicaid Update Special Edition: Comprehensive Telehealth Guidance
- FAQs on Medicaid Telehealth Guidance during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) State of Emergency
- Webinar: New York State Medicaid Guidance Regarding Telehealth, Including Telephonic, Services During the COVID-19 Emergency
- Department of Health Weekly Health Provider Webinars
- Division of Financial Services: Information for Insurers and Providers on Coverage for Telehealth Services
- Office of Mental Health: Use of Telephone and Two-Way Video Technology by OMH-Licensed, Funded or Designated Providers and Clients Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Office of Addiction Services and Supports: Telepractice FAQs
- Office for People with Developmental Disabilities: Interim Guidance Regarding the Use of Telehealth/COVID-19