Telehealth
Telehealth modalities (such as audio-visual, telephone, and remote patient monitoring devices) deliver health care, health education, and health information services. Use of telehealth can address disparities linked to geography by bridging gaps in access to timely care, improving care coordination, monitoring and treating at-risk populations, expanding population health programs, and reaching underserved patients, including those in designated Health Workforce Shortage Areas.
The MHCC's telehealth initiatives include activities that provide technical support to providers adopting telehealth, assess select use cases through telehealth demonstration projects, foster peer learning about best practices in the delivery of virtual care, build consumer awareness about telehealth, and inform telehealth policy development.
Telehealth Studies
The MHCC conducted telehealth studies requested by the legislature and proposed recommendations to support expanded use of telehealth.
2023–2024
Chapter 382 (Senate Bill 534), Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2023 and Chapter 291 (House Bill 1148), Behavioral Health Care - Treatment and Access (Behavioral Health Model for Maryland) require the MHCC to complete studies and make recommendations regarding the delivery of somatic and behavioral health services through telehealth modalities, including audio-visual and audio-only. The studies will examine payment levels for somatic and behavioral health services delivered via telehealth relative to in-person care.
In December 2023, Milliman, Inc. was competitively selected to complete study activities that consisted of reviewing relevant literature and conducting analyses using private payer, Medicaid, and Medicare data (2019–2023) from the MHCC's All Payer Claims Database.
2022–2023
The MHCC convened an Interstate Telehealth Workgroup at the request of the Health and Government Operations Committee (HGO Committee) to study matters presented in House Bill 670, Maryland Health Care Commission - Study on Expansion of Interstate Telehealth (2022). The study was completed after bill sponsors elected to withdraw the proposed legislation during the 2022 session of the General Assembly.
2021–2022
Chapter 70 (House Bill 123) and Chapter 71 (Senate Bill 3), Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2021 (Act) required the MHCC to study the impact of telehealth and provide recommendations on coverage and payment levels relative to in-person care.
In September 2021, the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago was competitively selected to conduct a telehealth study in accordance with the Act. NORC completed study activities that considered use of audio-only and audio-visual technologies in the delivery of somatic and behavioral health services.
MHCC Telehealth Resources
Health Care Providers
A Telehealth Virtual Resource Center [NEEDS LINK] with information and tools to help practices implement and expand telehealth services
Health Care Consumers
Educational materials [NEEDS LINK], including free resources and answers to frequently asked questions about virtual care
Telehealth Readiness Tool
The Telehealth Readiness Assessment (TRA) Tool, a self-assessment questionnaire to help small ambulatory practices determine readiness to implement or scale a telehealth project
Additional Resources
- HIPAA and Telehealth
- Guidance for ensuring telehealth practice is compliant with federal and State regulations
- Maryland Medicaid Telehealth Program
- Information and frequently asked questions about the Maryland Medicaid Telehealth Program
- Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center
- One of 14 national Telehealth Resource Centers providing technical assistance and other resources to advance telehealth, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities
Contact Us
For more information, please email Justine Springer at justine.springer@maryland.gov.