Prior to 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, access to telehealth services in Massachusetts was not widespread. Thanks to years of advocacy by the Massachusetts Telemedicine Coalition (tMED), emergency executive actions by the Governor, and legislative action by State Representatives and State Senators, telehealth has become widely available across the Commonwealth. However, many patients still face barriers to accessing their care using telehealth. This legislative session, the tMED Coalition has filed SB655 and HB986: An Act Relative to Telehealth and Digital Equity for Patients to address these existing barriers.

This bill builds off gains made in telehealth access during the pandemic and would ensure that cancer patients, among others, are able to continue to access telehealth services, such as chronic disease management in Massachusetts. The bill will also ensure that patients currently using telehealth will not face disruptions to their care while also addressing the digital divide, which has prevented some patients from utilizing telehealth services altogether.

 

WHAT THIS BILL DOES

• Addresses the digital divide by making it easier for Massachusetts residents to apply for the federal affordable connectivity program while also creating new digital health education programs to support residents with low digital health literacy.
• Creates task forces to assess to address barriers and impediments to the practice of telehealth across state lines.
• Ensures that patients who choose to use telehealth will not need prior authorization for medically necessary services when the same in-person services would not require prior authorization.
• Seeks equity through language justice by ensuring that translation and interpreter services are covered via telehealth.
• Maintain patient access to telehealth services for primary care and chronic disease management by ensuring those services are reimbursed at the same rate as an in-person visit.

 

WHY THIS MATTERS

• Without this bill, many patients who are currently using telehealth services may lose access to important services after the pandemic state of emergency ends.
• Many patients have been unable to access telehealth services due to the digital divide and lack of coverage of translation and interpreter services.
• This bill prevents administrative barriers such as prior authorization to access medically necessary care with telehealth.