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More than 250,000 South Carolinians have filed for unemployment since the coronavirus pandemic started in March. Those without jobs may have also lost their employer-sponsored health insurance coverage. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is here to help anyone affected by this crisis. Here’s a look at options and what individuals can do to get covered: https://bit.ly/2xRGOQ1

“The biggest thing to know right now is that you have choices. We can help through the process and pick the best type of coverage for you. We are here for you.” — Denise Jefferson, a marketing director with BlueCross

Information provided by Center for Connected Health Policy

Telehealth policy changes occurring within the COVID-19 environment have been rapidly developing on almost a daily basis.  CCHP is committed to keeping you updated on these important changes both federally and on the state level.  Watch our latest COVID-19 policy update videos.

TO VIEW RECENT STATE ACTIONS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19 CLICK HERE!

Timestamp: March 31, 2020 – 12 pm PT

As things rapidly develop regarding what we know about COVID-19, policies around telehealth have also been developing alongside of it.  Below is a summary of what is covered by various public and private payers with the information that has been released. Keep in mind that events are evolving and to consider this a living document that could change frequently as new information and new policies become available/are enacted.  CCHP will continue to make updates when they become available.

Below is information regarding current policies and the changes made due to passage of HR 6074 and HR 748 as well as recently released CMS guidances.  Note that HR 748 removed significant sections that HR 6074 had put into law.

Download the information below in the form of an easy to read fact sheet here!

Click here to see informative tables and options for additional information 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FCC has issued a second order waiving additional universal service rules to assist entities that participate in its Rural Health Care Program. The new order extends the filing deadline for the 2020 funding year, liberalizes the competitive bidding requirements for “evergreen” contracts and extends several procedural deadlines. It follows an earlier order waiving the “gift rule” to allow service providers to offer free or reduced-price services to recipients of Rural Health Care Program funding.

• Extension of application window: The order extends the window for health care providers to apply for the 2020 funding year. The new deadline is June 30; the original deadline was April 30. The new deadline applies to both the Telecom Program and the Healthcare Connect Fund Program.
• Evergreen contracts: The rules for the Rural Health Care Program allow funding recipients to avoid rebidding their services every year if they enter into contracts that specify the service being provided, what the services will cost, where the services will be provided, and the term of the agreements. Once the specified term ends, the funding recipient must rebid the contract. The order allows Rural Health Care Program recipients to extend any contracts that expire in funding year 2019 to funding year 2020 by waiving two rules – one that prevents an extension of contracts past their terms and another that limits the total length of contracts to five years. This is a one-time waiver, and it applies only to contracts that expire during funding year 2019, which runs from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020.
• Procedural deadlines: The order extends a series of procedural deadlines for the Rural Health Care Program:
• • Responses to information requests: The normal deadline for applicants to respond to information requests from the Universal Service Administrative Company is 14 days; the order extends that deadline to 28 days. The waiver will apply to any information requests issued on or before September 30.
  • Service delivery deadline: Normally, all services must be delivered by the end of the funding year to be eligible for support under the Rural Health Care Program. The order waives this deadline for funding year 2019 for non-recurring services (that is, services purchased on a one-time basis), and will allow reimbursement for such services if they are delivered by June 30, 2021.
  • Invoice filing deadline: The rules for the Healthcare Connect Fund generally require funding recipients to provide invoices for reimbursement within six months of the end of the funding commitment. The order extends that period for 180 days for funding year 2019, so that funding recipients will have just slightly less than one year to provide invoices.
  • Appeals and requests for waiver: The FCC’s rules require any party that requests review or a waiver of a Universal Service Administrative Company decision to submit the appeal or waiver within 60 days. The order extends that period to 120 days. The extension applies to all deadlines for requests for waiver or review from March 11 to September 30.

VIEW ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Several health systems in South Carolina are offering free virtual screenings for the coronavirus (COVID-19)

If you are experiencing fever, sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath, you can have a virtual screen with a trained medical professional. This will allow our community to receive a screening for COVID-19 and the appropriate care without exposing themselves or others to further sickness. This will help us to prevent the spread of infection.

• McLeod Health
• Prisma Health
• MUSC Health
• Roper St. Francis

A group of senators has submitted a bill that proposes to use data mapping to identify rural regions where lack of broadband access and high poor maternal health overlap – and where telehealth could make a difference.

January 08, 2020-A group of lawmakers wants to bring telehealth to bear on the nation’s high maternal mortality rate, with a bill that aims to improve broadband connectivity in rural regions where new and expecting mothers lack access to care.

The Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act (S. 3152), introduced this week by US Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Todd Young (R-IN), would use data mapping to identify regions of the country where high rates of poor maternal health overlap with lack of broadband access. The government would then help to boost broadband resources so that health systems could establish  telehealth programs to improve care.

“In rural areas especially, lack of access to medical services can lead to severe complications and worse outcomes for pregnant women,” Rosen said in a joint press release. “This legislation would work to map out areas with a need for both increased maternal care and access to internet. With this information, we can better target where telemedicine and technology infrastructure improvements can be most effective to improve outcomes for moms, and to save lives.”

“Telehealth technology can help track the health of mothers who don’t have easy access to routine checkups,” Fischer added. “But first, we need to ensure there’s adequate internet connectivity.”

The bill targets a hot-button item that connected health could certainly address.

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE