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The May 17, 2023, introduction of the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act by Congressman Jake LaTurner and colleagues is a notable stride forward in fortifying rural healthcare. Those colleagues include Representatives Chris Pappas (D-NH), Lisa McClain (R-MI), Marcus Molinaro (R-NY), Alex Mooney (R-WV), and Zach Nunn (R-IA). This bipartisan legislation has important ramifications for psychotherapists offering telehealth in rural areas, particularly Kansas, as it paves the way for more accessible, cost-effective, and time-saving telehealth services.
This legislation, a direct response to the expanded healthcare services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, provides a unique opportunity for psychotherapists to develop and enhance their rural telehealth practices through outpatient service departments associated with rural critical care access hospitals. Outpatient services offered by a critical access hospital can typically include various diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services, including behavioral care.
In particular, the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act attempts to bolster and ensure the permanence of Medicare coverage for telehealth services in the following ways:
- Eradication of Geographic Limitations: The Act eliminates geographical barriers related to the location of patients, known as originating sites, making it possible for patients to be treated from the comfort of their homes. This is a significant shift from pre-pandemic regulations, where home-based care was permissible under Medicare and certain Medicaid programs only for specific services and solely for the patient, not the healthcare provider
- Direct Billing by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs): The Act authorizes CAHs to bill for telehealth services directly, enhancing financial accessibility and viability
- Role of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs): The Act permits RHCs and FQHCs to function as distance sites for telehealth services, extending the…
