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Expansion of audio only services
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7/22/2021 @ 6:46:00 PM
Post 1 of 6

Contributor: Jennifer Rowell, Adventist Health

On July 13th CMS announced that it was going to expand behavioral health services including in RHC's and FQHC's.  Does anyone know if there has been any discussion around having these additional mental health services would be excluded from the 51% primary care ratio?  Obviously there's a huge need for it but some of our clinics are nearing that thresshold.

 

 

7/23/2021 @ 9:31:00 AM
Post 2 of 6

Contributor: Janice Westendorf, Family Care Associates of Effingham SC

following

7/26/2021 @ 9:26:00 AM
Post 3 of 6

Contributor: Sarah Hohman, National Association of Rural Health Clinics

There is an explicit statutory requirement that RHCs are "not a rehabilitation facility or a facility which is primarily for the care and treatment of mental diseases." NARHC has had some discussions with policymakers about what exactly "mental diseases" entails and if this law should be changed. Nothing is imminent and we can't get too in-detail on this forum because we are not allowed to do advocacy work here.

7/26/2021 @ 6:56:00 PM
Post 4 of 6

Contributor: Jill Matheny, Jack M Matheny II, MD RHC

Does anyone know about this topic? The expansion of audio only Telehealth visits?

 


---------- Original Comments ----------


Last Post By: Jennifer Rowell, Adventist Health

On July 13th CMS announced that it was going to expand behavioral health services including in RHC's and FQHC's.  Does anyone know if there has been any discussion around having these additional mental health services would be excluded from the 51% primary care ratio?  Obviously there's a huge need for it but some of our clinics are nearing that thresshold.

 

 

7/27/2021 @ 8:41:00 AM
Post 5 of 6

Contributor: Sarah Hohman, National Association of Rural Health Clinics

CMS released their annual Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule on July 13th - here is a link to a summary article that we wrote about relevant sections for RHCs! 

7/27/2021 @ 9:12:00 AM
Post 6 of 6

Contributor: Nathan Baugh, National Association of Rural Health Clinics

Hi Jill,

Just to add to what Sarah posted...

Yes CMS just proposed to extend audio-only telehealth services post pandemic, but only for mental health services. This caveat is because mental health services are the only kind of telehealth visits Congress has extended beyond the PHE at the moment.


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