New Bill Seeks to Expand Telehealth Services in Rural Health Clinics

There are more than 4,300 rural health clinics in the US, according to an August 2018 census by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Quality, Certification & Oversight Reports (QCOR). Medicare and Medicaid reimburse the clinics, but Barrasso and Smith note those reimbursement guidelines haven’t been modified since 1988.

The Rural Health Clinic Modernization Act of 2019 (S 1037), was introduced in April by Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Tina Smith (D-MN). It aims to expand the services offered by rural health clinics to improve access to care and close coverage gaps in underserved areas.

The bill will enable the RHCs to expand its telehealth platform to include more professional services. It would give them more flexibility in contracting with physician assistants and nurse practitioners and improve reimbursement.