Law and Legislation

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Law and Legislation

 

Assembly Bill No. 32, introduced by Aguiar-Curry, is a bill that requires health care services furnished through Telehealth to be reimbursed by Medi-Cal on the same basis, to the same extent, and at the same rate the services provided in an in-person visit (CAPH, 2021). Restrictions to reimbursement and scope of practice directly affect APN practice. As a future APN, I see the relevance of Telehealth in providing Americans better access to affordable yet high-quality healthcare, especially in this challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

            According to the Department of Health Care Services (2021), Telehealth is a cost-effective alternative to health care provided in person, and the standard of care is just the same as an in-person visit. The government declared a public health emergency (PHE) on January 31, 2020, related to the COVID-19 pandemic. DHCS issued a telehealth flexibilities guideline that they will reimburse services provided through Telehealth under the Medi-Cal program. The bill will further require DHCS to meet with an advisory group to develop the revised Medi-Cal telehealth policy. By December 2021, the department is to complete an evaluation to assess the benefits of Telehealth in Medi-Cal, including changes in health quality outcome, best practices for in-person and Telehealth visits, and improved access for the patients (CAPH, 2021).

            The policy and politics of the healthcare system impact the nursing practice and the profession as a whole. As the healthcare system evolves, many nurses take on the advocacy role. APNs, with their unique perspective on healthcare policies and expertise, can take the lead to provide critical information needed by the legislators to decide to evoke a positive change (Abood, 2017). In the previous discussions, we identified several ways to influence and present nursing’s perspective on the healthcare issue. I can take on an active role in healthcare advocacy by sending support letters to the legislators. I can write them the significance of Telehealth and its advantages in the healthcare system. If sending a letter will not suffice, I can make a phone call, attend a hearing or meet with the legislators.

 

References:

 

Abood, S. (2007, January 31). “Influencing Health Care in the Legislative Arena”. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. 12(1), 2. 10.3912/OJIN.Vol12No01Man02

 

California Association of Public Hospitals and Health System. (2021). State Legislation. Accessed November 10, 2021. https://caph.org/priorities/state-policy-legislation/state-legislation/

 

Department of Health Care Services. (2021). Telehealth in Medi-Cal during the public health emergency. Accessed November 10, 2021. https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/provgovpart/Pages/Telehealth.aspx

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