LANSING, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – One aspect of health care that has grown in significance during the COVID 19 situation will be addressed in the state Legislature today.
The House will take up on second reading HB 5416, which would allow Medicaid to pay for telemedicine visits when a patient is at home or in school, changing the requirement that the patient go to a specific health facility to have a telehealth visit covered by Medicaid. This is part of a larger package that would also allow patient data in the form of video and images to be stored and forwarded to providers.
House Bill 5416 is sponsored by second-term Republican Representative Mary Whitford of the South Haven area, who drew upon her past experience in health care. “I have found out throughout the years that there was a difficulty in getting telemedicine benefits,” she said on “WHTC Talk of the Town” during her monthly appearance on Monday. “During this time, because of the shutdown, telemedicine has really become the most important part of our health care. We’d really like to get this package moving forward so that, even after the state of emergency, we have the ability to continue with this really important service.”
The legislative package reportedly has the support of the Whitmer Administration.
