BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina have announced the start of telemedicine coverage for beneficiaries.
Reimbursements will initially be limited to allopathic or osteopathic physicians in the specialties of stroke or vascular neurology, maternal-fetal medicine and psychiatry, delivered via two-way, real-time, interactive, secured and HIPAA-compliant electronic audio and video telecommunication systems.
Local practitioners are pleased by the announcement. "It's a very big step, and it shows that they have a sense of commitment to telehealth," said James T. McElligott, MD, medical director of telehealth at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, in a report in The State.
"We are very hopeful that other payers in the state will follow suit," said Meera Narsimhan, MD, vice dean of innovative healthcare technologies at the USC School of Medicine in Columbia, in the report. "Given the shortage of specialty providers and access in rural South Carolina, we need to be creative in the use of innovative technology tools to improve care for the citizens of South Carolina."
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