State legislators have begun to review a trailer bill proposal submitted by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). The trailer bill language recommends how legislators should distribute $94.8 billion in state budget funds to expand telehealth as proposed by Governor Newsom. Currently, reimbursement for telehealth visits under Medi-Cal is tied to a federal emergency declaration that is set to expire on December 2021. We need your help to remind our state legislators why telehealth is important to our patients, and to urge them to make payment for telehealth permanent.
• Telehealth allows our patients to continue receiving their care from the safety of their home during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
• Telehealth helps patients achieve optimal health by decreasing barriers such as lack of transportation or arranging child care.
• Telehealth is a comprehensive model of care that has the support of both patients and providers.
The Assembly Health Committee is hosting a hearing on telehealth. Take action by expressing why telehealth is important to our patients and the community we serve. Click here for a toolkit with instructions and suggested messaging for you to email the committee.
