Enacts the "telehealth continuity and integration act" to ensure the provision of and reimbursement for telehealth services provided by home health agencies and programs

BILL NUMBER:S4956

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the continuity and integration of the home telehealth program within the home care-managed care system

Purpose or general idea of bill

To make conforming amendments to the Home Telehealth Program and managed long term care (MLTC) statutes to ensure the continuity and integration of the Telehealth program and services in Medicaid's redesign to managed care.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 titles the legislation as the "Telehealth Continuity and Integration Act."

Section 2 expresses the intent of the legislation: to amend the Home Telehealth Program to enable its continuation and proper function within the current redesign of the state's Medicaid program.

Section 3 amends subdivision 3-c of section 3614 of the public health law, the Home Telehealth statute, to provide for the above referenced intent.

Section 4 amends section 4403-f of the public health law, the MLTC statute, to add the Home Telehealth Program as a service for MLTC enrollees to be provided consistent with subdivision 3-c of section 3614 of the public health.

Section 5 adds Home Telehealth to the portion of the MLTC statute that provides for a service's transition to managed care upon the commissioner's approval of program features and reimbursement rates. This section of the MLTC law exists to ensure that the enumerated services are appropriately timed and supported in their inclusion under managed care.

Section 6 establishes an immediate effective date for the bill, provided that the amendments to paragraph (b) of subdivision 7 and subdivision 10 of section 4403-f of the public health law, shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such paragraph or the repeal of such section, and shall expire and be deemed repealed therewith.

Justification

Home Telehealth services have emerged as a vital health care modality for the state's citizens, enabling new and advanced technological methods of monitoring, management and self-management of patient health at home.

Both empirical and descriptive studies provide clear and mounting evidence of Home Telehealth's capacity for achieving improved patient outcomes, system-wide cost-effectiveness and overall more appropriate institutional/non--institutional health resource use.

As the state's health care system shifts to a managed care paradigm, complementary changes to the home telehealth program are necessary to enable it to continue and properly function within this evolving system. The provisions of this "Telehealth Continuity and Integration Act" accomplish these changes, and in so doing, will help ensure the

program's current and immeasurable future benefit to the state's citizens and overall health care system.

Legislative history

New Bill.

Fiscal implications

Ensures the continuation of a highly cost-effective service with the Medicaid program, whose cost-savings will grow even further as the state enters its next phases of Medicaid/Medicare system redesign.

Effective date

Immediately, provided that the amendments to paragraph (b) of subdivision 7 and subdivision 10 of section 4403-f of the public health law, shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such paragraph or the repeal of such section, and shall expire and be deemed repealed therewith.