Medicare beneficiaries in nearly 100 counties in the U.S. will lose coverage for telehealth services because they no longer live in federally designated rural areas due to a change in status, according to a mHimss report.
The 2010 Census redefined 97 counties as metropolitan rather than rural. According to American Telemedicine Association officials, Medicare doesn't cover telehealth in metropolitan areas.
However, the 2010 Census also changed the status of 28 counties from metropolitan to non-metropolitan, and Medicare beneficiaries in those counties will become eligible for telehealth coverage.
The 97 counties that will lose telehealth coverage for Medicare recipients, according to the ATA, are:
• Alabama — Pickens County
• Arizona — Cochise County
• Arkansas — Little River County
• Connecticut — Windham County
• Delaware — Sussex County
• Florida — Citrus, Gulf, Highlands, Sumter and Walton counties
• Georgia — Lincoln, Morgan, Peach and Pulaski counties
• Hawaii — Kalawao and Maui counties
• Idaho — Butte County
• Illinois — De Witt, Jackson and Williamson counties
• Indiana — Scott County
• Iowa — Plymouth County
• Kansas — Kingman County
• Kentucky — Allen and Butler counties
• Louisiana — Iberia, St. James, Tangipahoa, Vermilion and Webster parishes
• Maryland — St. Mary's and Worcester counties
• Michigan — Midland and Montcalm counties
• Minnesota — Fillmore, Le Sueur, Mille Lacs and Sibley counties
• Mississippi — Benton and Yazoo counties
• Montana — Golden Valley County
• Nebraska — Hall, Hamilton, Howard and Merrick counties
• New York — Jefferson and Yates counties
• North Carolina — Craven, Davidson, Gates, Iredell, Jones, Lincoln, Pamlico and Rowan counties
• North Dakota — Oliver and Sioux counties
• Oregon — Josephine and Linn counties
• Pennsylvania — Adams, Columbia, Franklin, Monroe and Montour counties
• Puerto Rico — Utuado Municipio
• South Carolina — Beaufort, Chester, Jasper, Lancaster and Union counties
• South Dakota — Custer County
• Tennessee — Campbell, Crockett, Maury, Morgan and Roane counties
• Texas — Falls, Hood, Hudspeth, Lynn, Martin, Newton and Oldham counties
• Utah — Box Elder County
• Virginia — Augusta, Buckingham, Culpeper and Floyd counties and Staunton City and Waynesboro City
• Washington — Columbia, Pend Oreille, Stevens and Walla Walla counties
• West Virginia — Fayette and Raleigh counties
• Wisconsin —Green County
The 28 counties that will gain telehealth coverage for Medicare recipients, according to the ATA, are:
• Idaho — Power County
• Indiana — Franklin, Gibson and Greene counties
• Kansas — Franklin County
• Kentucky — Nelson County
• Massachusetts — Franklin County
• Michigan — Ionia County
• Mississippi — George and Stone counties
• Missouri — Howard and Washington counties
• North Carolina — Anson and Greene counties
• Ohio — Erie County
• Tennessee — Stewart County
• Texas — Calhoun, Delta and McLennan counties
• Utah — Summit County
• Virginia — Cumberland, King and Queen, Louisa and Pittsylvania counties and Danville City
• West Virginia — Morgan and Pleasants counties
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The 2010 Census redefined 97 counties as metropolitan rather than rural. According to American Telemedicine Association officials, Medicare doesn't cover telehealth in metropolitan areas.
However, the 2010 Census also changed the status of 28 counties from metropolitan to non-metropolitan, and Medicare beneficiaries in those counties will become eligible for telehealth coverage.
The 97 counties that will lose telehealth coverage for Medicare recipients, according to the ATA, are:
• Alabama — Pickens County
• Arizona — Cochise County
• Arkansas — Little River County
• Connecticut — Windham County
• Delaware — Sussex County
• Florida — Citrus, Gulf, Highlands, Sumter and Walton counties
• Georgia — Lincoln, Morgan, Peach and Pulaski counties
• Hawaii — Kalawao and Maui counties
• Idaho — Butte County
• Illinois — De Witt, Jackson and Williamson counties
• Indiana — Scott County
• Iowa — Plymouth County
• Kansas — Kingman County
• Kentucky — Allen and Butler counties
• Louisiana — Iberia, St. James, Tangipahoa, Vermilion and Webster parishes
• Maryland — St. Mary's and Worcester counties
• Michigan — Midland and Montcalm counties
• Minnesota — Fillmore, Le Sueur, Mille Lacs and Sibley counties
• Mississippi — Benton and Yazoo counties
• Montana — Golden Valley County
• Nebraska — Hall, Hamilton, Howard and Merrick counties
• New York — Jefferson and Yates counties
• North Carolina — Craven, Davidson, Gates, Iredell, Jones, Lincoln, Pamlico and Rowan counties
• North Dakota — Oliver and Sioux counties
• Oregon — Josephine and Linn counties
• Pennsylvania — Adams, Columbia, Franklin, Monroe and Montour counties
• Puerto Rico — Utuado Municipio
• South Carolina — Beaufort, Chester, Jasper, Lancaster and Union counties
• South Dakota — Custer County
• Tennessee — Campbell, Crockett, Maury, Morgan and Roane counties
• Texas — Falls, Hood, Hudspeth, Lynn, Martin, Newton and Oldham counties
• Utah — Box Elder County
• Virginia — Augusta, Buckingham, Culpeper and Floyd counties and Staunton City and Waynesboro City
• Washington — Columbia, Pend Oreille, Stevens and Walla Walla counties
• West Virginia — Fayette and Raleigh counties
• Wisconsin —Green County
The 28 counties that will gain telehealth coverage for Medicare recipients, according to the ATA, are:
• Idaho — Power County
• Indiana — Franklin, Gibson and Greene counties
• Kansas — Franklin County
• Kentucky — Nelson County
• Massachusetts — Franklin County
• Michigan — Ionia County
• Mississippi — George and Stone counties
• Missouri — Howard and Washington counties
• North Carolina — Anson and Greene counties
• Ohio — Erie County
• Tennessee — Stewart County
• Texas — Calhoun, Delta and McLennan counties
• Utah — Summit County
• Virginia — Cumberland, King and Queen, Louisa and Pittsylvania counties and Danville City
• West Virginia — Morgan and Pleasants counties
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