During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has had a massive surge in adoption among patients and practices. Telemedicine was so valuable that concerned government bodies actually passed temporary laws to make it easier for patients and providers to utilize. Now that we’ve been in this pandemic almost for two years, governing bodies are beginning to re-examine the regulations around telehealth access. That’s exactly what Senators Bill Cassidy, Tina Smith, John Thune, and Ben Cardin have done by introducing the Telemental Healthcare Access Act of 2021.
Telemental Healthcare Access Act 2021
The Telemental Health Care Access Act was introduced June 15, 2021, by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and John Thune (R-SD). This bill would eliminate the requirement that Medicare patients be seen in person within six months of their telemental health appointment. The Telemental Health Care Access Act of 2021 will continue the work of the CARES Act of 2020. The senators who created this bill were motivated by the increased engagement with telehealth, and specifically remote options for mental and behavioral healthcare delivery, over the past year and a half.
Telehealth has been essential for maintaining and expanding access to healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially true for those seeking mental health counseling and medical management, as we have seen spikes in anxiety, depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, and suicide resulting from social isolation. The Telemental Health Care Access Act is actually just one piece of legislation out of many related to the effort of making telehealth more accessible in the future. As we already mentioned, the regulation adjustments made in 2020 were temporary pieces of legislation, passed as quickly as possible to make life easier at the height of the pandemic. But we are rapidly approaching the time when those regulatory changes were meant to expire, and patients aren’t ready to let that access go quite yet.
Improving Access
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the demand for telehealth services increased, Medicare used emergency provisions to temporarily relax some of the restrictions on the practice of telemedicine so patients could access healthcare services with minimal risk. This move increased access to healthcare services, especially for people with chronic health or mobility issues and for rural patients. An end-of-year package introduced in Congress in December 2020 expanded access to telehealth services but added a requirement for patients to be seen in person before using mental health services. Access to behavioral health services during the COVID-19 crisis has been especially important for many people who have sought treatment for increased anxiety, depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, and other mental illnesses during the pandemic.
Although more patients seek mental health services, the current shortage of mental health providers (estimated at about 6,000) leads to long waiting lists for patients, some of whom may be in crisis. Removing the requirement for in-person visits would help fill the gap in rural healthcare accessibility so rural patients could get the treatment they need. Telemental healthcare has been shown to be highly effective. There is no clinical reason to require a patient to visit a doctor in person. Removing the in-person requirement through this bipartisan bill will improve access so that everyone can get the mental health services they need.
We hope you receive a good understanding of the telemental healthcare access act of 2021 through this article. If you are thinking about providing telemental health services and don’t know where to start. Or if you are worried about receiving insurance reimbursements for telemental services then MedicalBillersandCoders (MBC) can assist you. Our billing and coding experts have a good understanding of payer reimbursement policies and telemedicine billing guidelines. We can handle complete revenue cycle activities so that you will receive correct insurance reimbursements along with correct documentation. To know more about our telehealth/telemedicine billing services, contact us at info@medicalbillersandcoders.com/ 888-357-3226
FAQs
What is the Telemental Healthcare Access Act of 2021?
The Act eliminates the requirement for Medicare patients to be seen in person within six months of their telemental health appointment, improving access to virtual mental health services.
Why was the Telemental Healthcare Access Act introduced?
It was introduced to build on the CARES Act of 2020, driven by the rise in demand for telehealth, particularly for mental and behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How does the Act impact telehealth access for Medicare patients?
The Act removes the in-person visit requirement, making it easier for Medicare patients to access telemental health services, especially in rural and underserved areas.
Why is telemental healthcare important during the pandemic?
Telemental healthcare provides essential access to mental health services as the pandemic has led to spikes in anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Can MBC help with telemental health billing?
Yes, Medical Billers and Coders (MBC) can assist with billing and coding for telemental health services, ensuring accurate insurance reimbursements and compliance with telemedicine billing guidelines.
