The New York State Department of Health (DOH) announced last week that New York State Medicaid will continue to provide comprehensive coverage of telehealth through Dec. 31, 2024. Telehealth services – the use of electronic information and communication technologies to deliver health care to patients at a distance – expanded dramatically during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), which ended last spring.

Prior to the PHE, Medicaid covered some telehealth services, including audio-visual, store-and-forward, and remote patient monitoring at certain facilities. During the PHE, this list was expanded to include over-the-phone care.

Following the PHE, Medicaid has added virtual patient education and virtual check-in and anticipates including eConsults in the future. Medicaid also expanded the eligible providers who can offer telehealth services.

Before the PHE, only 25 types of Medicaid providers were eligible to be reimbursed for services offered via telehealth, including some clinics and facilities. Telehealth is now authorized for all Medicaid providers employed by Medicaid facilities if telehealth services are within a provider's scope of practice and an appropriate option for the required care.

DOH had indicated that specific guidance could be issued for certain providers not acknowledged in guidance issued near the end of the PHE. Nothing to date has been issued in addition to this release and guidance provided in the Medicaid Update here.

Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871