The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to ensure a rural health clinic may be reimbursed for the originating site facility fee or the distant site practitioner fee or both, for a covered telemedicine medical service or telehealth service delivered by a health care provider to a Medicaid recipient.
The bill would require HHSC to ensure Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees have the option to receive certain services as telemedicine medical services, telehealth services, or otherwise using telecommunications or information technology.
The bill would require Medicaid reimbursement for a telehealth service at the same rate as Medicaid reimbursement for the same in-person service.
The bill would require CHIP managed care organizations to permit benefits to be provided through telehealth services.
The bill would require CHIP reimbursement for a telemedicine medical service or telehealth service at the same rate as CHIP reimbursement for the same in-person service.
It is unknown how these changes will impact service utilization.
It is assumed that costs associated with rulemaking, and development of any state plan amendments or waivers could be absorbed within existing agency resources.
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.