A new bill aims at improving telehealth coverage for children through state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) services.

The legislation was introduced by U.S. Reps. Dr. Michael C. Burgess, R-Texas and Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.

The Telehealth Improvement for Kids’ Essential Services, or TIKES, Act of 2020 requires the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to states about ways to increase access to telehealth solutions under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. 

It would mandate a study on the impact of telehealth services on cost and outcome, healthcare access and utilization.

It would require the Comptroller General to submit a report, which will be an evaluation of the collaboration between federal agencies regarding telehealth services provided under the Medicaid or CHIP program to those under the age of 18.

The impact:

Rep. Blunt Rochester said that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in making rapid progress on expanding access to telehealth technology, so children and families across the country, especially those in rural and underserved communities now face fewer barriers when they access medical care.

Pediatric health systems issued statements to support the legislation mentioning that it creates an opportunity for the federal government to provide better clarity to states with regards to expansion of telehealth technology. 

Guidance as mandated by the bill, includes technical assistance and best practices regarding:

• Telehealth delivery of covered services.

• Simplifying or aligning provider licensing, credentialing and enrollment protocols regarding telehealth across states, state Medicaid plans and Medicaid managed care organizations.

• Existing strategies states can use to combine telehealth and other virtual health care services with value-based health care solutions and models.

• Recommended voluntary modifiers, billing codes and place-of-service designations for telehealth and other virtual health care services.

• Examples of states that use waivers under the Medicaid program to test expanded access to telehealth solutions.