Ohio Medicaid officials have filed rules to permanently continue telehealth services expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Cleveland.com.
The department in March began temporarily allowing telehealth due to the pandemic.
About 25 percent of Ohioans have Medicaid health coverage, and preliminary data showed that telehealth has been used for behavioral health services, with at least 200,000 recipients using it for mental health services, according to the Sept. 1 report. An additional 395,000 Medicaid recipients have participated in telehealth with medical healthcare providers, with a total of 878,000 claims.
"This permanent expansion of clinically appropriate telehealth services allows us to increase access to quality care while maintaining the fiscal sustainability and integrity of Ohio’s Medicaid program," Ohio Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran said.
The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, a group of Ohio lawmakers who evaluate regulations, will review the department's new rules before they are finalized.