Our TLC Tuesdays series provide an opportunity to learn more about the use of technology to support telehealth delivery.

Our TLC Tuesdays series provides an opportunity to learn more about the use of technology to support telehealth delivery. 

Telligen, the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, and Oklahoma, in partnership with the University of Colorado Practice Innovation Program, hosted a webinar and question and answer session during which expert speakers provided an overview of the CMS waiver 1135 rules as well as recommendations for coding and documentation for use of telehealth during COVID-19, so that patients can be cared for without leaving the safety of their homes.

Join the HITEQ Center, in collaboration with the National Council for Behavioral Health, for a webinar on understanding from a beginner perspective, how to integrate HIV prevention, screening into integrated behavioral health services, including how to identify patients at risk for HIV with a focus on SUD, facilitate screening, and prompting for rescreening at appropriate intervals.

On March 6, 2020, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act was signed into law, making $8.3 billion in emergency funding available for federal agencies to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Included in this total is $100 million in new funds to help community health centers prevent, prepare for, and respond to the new virus.

In addition to funding, the Act also introduces enhanced flexibility relating to the use of telehealth. For example, it provides a waiver of certain Medicare telehealth legal requirements. As for Medicaid, states may use their flexibility in managing the program to increase access to services through telehealth—during the emergency, or on a permanent basis. This is all in addition to the Program Assistance Letter (PAL) released in January by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regarding telehealth and its relationship to the scope of project under a community health center’s Public Health Service Act grant.

In this complimentary webinar, we will describe the new telehealth flexibilities in the Appropriations Act and PAL 2020-01, discuss the President's recent national emergency declaration, and explain the broader impact of each on health centers.