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As the pandemic eases and state public health emergencies expire, healthcare providers are scrambling to figure out what they can and can’t do with telehealth any more.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis allowed his state’s state of emergency to expire this past weekend after extending it several times, ending a number of emergency measures aimed at expanding connected health coverage and access to deal with COVID-19.
As a result, providers can no longer use audio-only telehealth platforms, such as the phone, to treat patients unless they’re on Medicare. They can’t prescribe controlled substances via telehealth for patients dealing with chronic pain or renew medical marijuana prescriptions via telehealth, and the frequency and length of telemental health services for Medicaid members will be reduced.
In addition, the state had loosened guidelines to enable providers from other states to treat Florida residents via telehealth. That freedom is gone.