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Telehealth Panel Eyes Florida Insurance, Licensing Issues

To increase the use of telehealth in Florida, a panel is recommending that insurance companies be required to reimburse health-care providers for telehealth services and that the Legislature authorize participation in interstate “compacts” that make it easier for doctors and other providers to be licensed in a variety of states.

The Telehealth Advisory Council held a two-hour-plus teleconference Tuesday, with members reviewing a draft copy of a 32-page report that will be sent to the governor and Legislature later this month.

Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Justin Senior, the chairman of the advisory council, said a copy of the report would be posted publicly and that another meeting will held before the panel votes on the final version

“I really appreciate all the work that has gone into this. I really think it’s coming together nicely,” Senior told members of the council.

Telehealth, at least in part, involves using the internet and other technology to provide services to patients remotely. The Legislature for years grappled with telehealth and how it should best be used and regulated. In 2016, lawmakers passed a bill creating the advisory council and directed it to survey the current level of telehealth participation in the state, identify obstacles and make recommendations on how those obstacles can be eliminated.

Recommendations in the report run the gamut, from making clear that a practitioner/patient relationship can be established through telehealth to providing a definition for telehealth.

Perhaps the most controversial recommendation, though, is that the Legislature require insurance companies to reimburse health-care providers for telehealth services as though the care were provided face-to-face.

Moreover, the draft report also recommends that insurance companies cover services provided via telehealth if the same services are covered for in-person visits.

The advisory board recommendation applies to commercial insurance coverage only. The report recommends, however, that the state support changes being considered by Congress that would make Medicare coverage of telehealth services less restrictive.

With regard to Medicaid, the advisory council is recommending that the state amend its Medicaid rules and allow reimbursement to providers for more telehealth services. Currently, Medicaid rules allow for reimbursement of live video conferencing only.

Advisory council member and Leon County EMS provider Kim Landry told The News Service of Florida on Monday that the recommended mandates on insurance companies should go a long way to increasing access to telehealth services.

“Reimbursement has been an issue,” he said noting that he doesn’t expect every provider to gravitate toward telehealth but that the promise of reimbursement will help sway some physicians.

As of September, 34  states and the District of Columbia had established health-insurance parity laws to address gaps in coverage for telehealth services, according to the draft report. But only three of the states with telehealth parity laws explicitly mandate that the reimbursement for telehealth services be the same as for in-person care.

The advisory council worked with the Office of Insurance Regulation, the Department of Health and the Agency for Health Care Administration in polling insurance companies, facilities and providers about telehealth.

The findings showed that only 6 percent of practitioners in Florida reported using telehealth, which was below the national average of 16 percent.

Those who did offer telehealth services were recent converts, with 55 percent reporting doing so for the first time in the last year.

The poll also showed hospitals in Florida lagged behind their peers nationally in the use of telehealth. While 45 percent of hospitals responding to the Florida survey reported using telehealth, that was less than the 52 percent of hospitals (with another 10 percent in the process) in a 2013 national poll.

Results of the Florida survey showed that for health care practitioners, the top barriers for telehealth were financial. Practitioners were concerned about the required investments, adequate reimbursement for services and a financial return.

In addition to tackling reimbursement, the advisory council also weighed in on licensure requirements, recommending that “health care practitioners be licensed in Florida prior to being allowed to provide care to a patient in Florida.”

To make the licensure process easier, the council is recommending that the Legislature authorize Florida to participate in multi-state practitioner licensure compacts so long as the eligibility requirements for licensure equal or exceed the state’s existing requirements.

The advisory council also is recommending that, similar to the boards of medicine and osteopathic medicine, the various health-care regulatory boards and councils be given specific authority to develop rules necessary to implement telehealth.

by Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida

Irma’s Death Toll Up To 69 In Florida

Hurricane Irma’s official death toll in Florida stands at 69, nearly a month after the storm pounded a south-to-north path through the state. But the number released Friday should continue to grow.

The figure, compiled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state Division of Emergency Management from county medical examiners, includes nine deaths in Broward County. The deaths in Broward County are listed as being due to carbon monoxide, chronic pulmonary disease, heat exhaustion tied to chronic alcoholism, a diabetic crisis, a subdural hematoma and two cases each of blunt trauma and cardiovascular disease.

Eight residents of The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills died Sept. 13, days after the center lost its air-conditioning system because of Irma. Four more died after the sweltering facility was evacuated.

Deaths from Irma have been reported in the following counties: Broward (9), Collier (1), Duval (5), Hardee (2), Hendry (1), Highlands (4), Hillsborough (4), Lake (1), Lee (1), Leon (2), Liberty (1), Manatee (1), Marion (3), Miami-Dade (5), Monroe (6), Nassau (1), Okeechobee (1), Orange (6), Palm Beach (5), Pinellas (2), Polk (3), Seminole (1), St. Lucie (1), Taylor (2) and Volusia (1).

Twenty-three deaths across the state are attributed to a blunt-force injury — typically involving traffic crashes or injuries that occurred during the storm or while people worked on storm preparation or recovery. Irma is also blamed for eight deaths by drowning, four cases of electrocution and 14 deaths involving carbon monoxide.

Final Weather Update On Nate

Hurricane Nate made a landfall at the mouth of Mississippi River before continuing north to a second landfall at 12:30 a.m. Sunday near Biloxi.

The latest details on Nate are available in the maps and images on this page.

See the front page of NorthEscambia.com for additional details on Nate, evacuation information, safety tips and more.

Escambia Schools: Teachers, Staff Work On Monday, Kids Tuesday

Escambia (FL) Schools will be in session as previously planned this week.

Superintendent Malcolm Thomas has confirmed that all ECSD plans for a professional development day for teachers and staff will continue as scheduled for Monday. Staff and teachers should plan to attend professional development training sessions on Monday, as planned, he said.

Also as previously scheduled, students will not attend school on Monday, Columbus Day. All bus routes and classes will resume Tuesday morning at regular times.

Tree Crashes Through Cantonment Home

A Cantonment woman escaped injury when a large tree fell into her home early Sunday morning — one of the very few damage reports received from Hurricane Nate in the North Escambia area.

The woman said the tree came crashing down just a short distance from where she was sleeping; she had to push branches out of her way to escape.

The home is located on Bob White Lane off East Kingsfield.

For additional photos, click here.

Aside from power lines, a few downed trees and scattered items such lawn furniture and trash cans, no other significant damage has been reported in North Escambia.

NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.

Jay Woman Killed In Highway 89 Crash

A Jay woman was killed in two vehicle accident Saturday afternoon south of Jay.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 42-year old Kara Milstid was traveling east on Country Road 178 a in her 2007 Ford Fusion as a 2001 GMC Sierra driven by 39-year old Michael Rasmussen of Jay was southbound on Highway 89 . Milstid failed to yield the right of way, entered the intersection and struck the pickup truck before continuing across the intersection and into a concrete culvert and a dirt embankment.

Milstid was pronounced deceased following the 2:27 p.m. crash. Rasmussen was transported to Jay Hospital with minor injuries.

File photo.

Escambia County: Final Nate Update

Here is the final update on Nate issued by Escambia County:

Vehicle Accident Ruptures High Pressure Gas Line

A vehicle stuck and ruptured a gas line outside Flomaton Saturday night, causing a high pressure natural gas leak.

The accident happened about 7:30 p.m. on Wolf Log Road near Jordan Road. The driver escaped their overturned vehicle without serious injury.

The gas leak shut down roadways in the area and led to the evacuation of the only nearby home.

The gas was turned off by a utility crew shortly after 8 p.m. without further incident or injury.

The Flomaton Fire Department, Flomaton Police Department, Escambia (AL) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County (FL) EMS and the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue were among the agencies that responded.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Firefighters Respond To Reported House Fire In Molino

Firefighters responded to a reported house fire in Molino Saturday night.

They arrived to find smoke in the structure, but the fire had reportedly been extinguished by the resident. There was no major damage reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Crews Work To Restore Power To Thousands

Thousands of people in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties lost power due to Hurricane Nate overnight.

Gulf Power reported that crews would be working to restore power as long as winds were below 35 mph, and EREC reported that crews would work to restore power as long as it was safe to do so.

Pictured: Gulf Power crews worked early Sunday morning to restore a power outage caused by Hurricane Nate. Pictured below: Gulf Power staged out of town crews at the Pensacola Fairgrounds for a fast response after Nate. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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