The American Telemedicine Association has recognized 24 states for employing the best telemedicine policies in three key areas.
School-based telemedicine:
More than 2,000 school-based health centers operate nationally, although many are not eligible for reimbursement from managed care plans or state-sponsored insurance. The ATA has recognized Georgia, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio and Virginia as states that provide Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services delivered remotely to school-based sites.
Store-and-forward telemedicine:
Only seven states reimburse for store-and-forward telemedicine services, which utilize asynchronous virtual communication for patients who do not have timely access to specialty care. These states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
Remote patient monitoring and home video visits:
While the federal Medicaid program does not recognize a patient's home as an originating site or reimburse for remote monitoring, states have the flexibility to reimburse for remote monitoring or home video visits. According to the ATA, 17 states provide some form of home-based telemedicine: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana,
Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
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