While the four states will maintain individual approaches to implementing telehealth policies, they will use the collaboration to identify effective methods and ensure their residents benefit from expanded telehealth services under new federal guidelines. Each state extended health services through telehealth during the pandemic, and CMS said it intends to make some of the new flexibilities permanent.
The states’ framework will offer telehealth guidelines covering various principles, including patient and provider access, patient confidentiality, equitable access, standard of care requirements, fraud and waste prevention strategies and payment and reimbursement.
In a joint statement, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said the partnership is to “ensure that the nation benefits from our knowledge as changes to federal regulations are contemplated, to support continued application and availability of telehealth in our states and to ensure that we address the inequities faced in particular by tribal communities and communities of color.”
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