Providers in the Lone Star State this week can start billing for telemedicine visits with Medicaid-enrolled children while they're in school. Lawmakers and providers say the move improves access for children whose parents can't miss work for doctor visits.
The law requires consent from the student's parent or guardian. It also requires the school nurse to be present during the visit.
If the child has a primary-care physician, the law requires the doctor be provided with relevant records. If the child does not have a physician, the telemedicine provider must provide records to the parent, along with a list of primary-care providers.
Officials at Dallas-based Children's Health say the law will help sustain their quickly growing school-based telemedicine program. The program serves 57 schools in north Texas. “It will allow us now to continue this innovative work we've been doing and actually get paid for these visits,” said Julie Hall-Barrow, the system's senior director of healthcare innovation and telemedicine.
The pilot program has been partially funded by Texas' Medicaid Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment program.
The system has two nurse practitioners and one doctor. Hall-Barrow said the program has helped parents stay at work and contain illness by diagnosing who can stay in class.
Although the law identifies a “physician” as the telemedicine provider, Hall-Barrow said the system expects to be able to use nurse practitioners once it's cleared by attorneys or an adjustment is made by lawmakers in the next legislative session. —Adam Rubenfire
