Medicaid patients need access to telemedicine! I believe it will save money while giving them access to higher quality, more convenient care. 

It is very important to me that Medicaid patients are able to use telehealth and telemedicine to the full extent it’s available. 

As a family and psychiatric nurse practitioner, the goal of my company is to provide psychiatric care to clients across the state of Virginia via telehealth technologies such as smart phone or computer. Providing timely psychiatric care to clients is key to reducing repeat hospitalizations. Clients need to be seen at least two weeks or less after an acute hospitalization. Most often clients are discharged and are unable to get appointments for one month or more. In addition clients are often unable to access care due to their proximity from most of the state's providers. I agreed to provide psychiatric care to a client who was unable to find follow up care after an acute hospitalization only to find the client had medical issues which prevented him  from driving to my office which is 55 miles from his home. This situation would not be problematic and can be addressed by fully reimbursable telehealth care which can be provided by a provider to a client in the comfort of their home.

Virginia needs to promote telemedicine throughout the state. Especially in rural communities where driving to a doctor can take over an hour. We must remove any barriers such as red tape to ensure all Virginians have reasonable access to quality healthcare. 

Our first experience with telemedicine was after my husband developed a rash on his hands - not poison ivy or a related condition.  After an examination by his physician - and a telemedicine consult, he was prescribed appropriately and the cream is working!  He was most impressed - and with a background in medicine, he does not impress easily.

Later, we ran into a friend who had suffered a stroke.  Again, he was quickly treated with a combination of hospital personnel and telemedicine.  He couldn't sing the praises highly enough and suffered zero consequences from the stroke.

The ability to bring together medical professionals from disparate geographic regions is beyond impressive.  The responsiveness was top-notch and rapid.  I couldn't be more impressed. 

Advancing the availability of telemedicine and telehealth will help Virginians have more access to healthcare throughout the Commonwealth.

Rural areas such as Southwest Virginia will benefit in increased health services.  For instance, some patients in Southwest Va may be an hour plus from a hospital.  Telehealth will help provide remote care for these patients in the comfort of their own home.

Virginians deserve full telehealth access.  Why limit a Virginian's access to just our state border?  Patients that have specialists in other states can greatly benefit from telehealth.  Here are two examples of how allowing out of state telehealth can help Virginians. (1) A patient in Leesburg has cancer surgery in New York City.  They are recovering in Virginia they can continue to consult with their physician in NYC via telehealth.  (2) A Hampton patient has a rare immuno deficiency disease treated by a specialist in Texas.  Which makes travel difficult due to their health.  The patient can stay in touch with the Texas based physician who specializes in this disease treatment.

Let's keep Virginians healthy!  Telehealth is for preventative care as well.  Whether you are young or older.  In northern Va or Danville.  Innovation is providing more ways for patients to connect with their physicians.  And, innovation is quickly providing quality, remote diagnostic capabilities.  Vitals such as pulse, blood oximeter, blood sugar, blood pressure and EKG for heart rate are available.

Please let this technology work for Virginians without borders.  Let's put healthcare at the fingertips of patients throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

I believe that many of the access to affordable health care gaps that currently plague the Commonwealth can be solved by opening up options for individuals to participate. Telemedicine has the ability to completely revolutionize the health care industry in Virginia, all while lowering costs and increasing access to care. It was great that a bill passed the legislature unanimously this past session and was signed by the Governor, but that was only part of the puzzle. It is important to allow for individuals who are on Medicaid to be able to experience and utilize the exact telemedicine services that individuals on private insurance are able to use. This will increase access to care for all Virginians, all while saving taxpayers money on services. 

income should stop no one from receiving quality care. Whether someone is on Medicaid or private insurance, everyone should have the same options. There are plenty of people who do not have readily available access to transportation or have pre-existing conditions that require constant monitoring. We should be using our 21st century technology to make sure no one is left behind, especially on Medicaid as that is its purpose. 

I believe that Telemedicine is crucial to helping the under-privileged, and under-served communities in Virginia. Telemedicine will give more Virginians access to healthcare and at a lower cost. Ensuring Medicaid recipients have equal access to these innovations in the medical field will benefit Virginia. They can have access to cheaper quality healthcare costing the commonwealth less. 

It would be a great benefit to us to open telemedicine for all people. Thank you for your support for us. 

Telemedicine is a great way for people to access healthcare in a timely, affordable manner. It allows people with little income to access the care they need.

#telemedicineforall  #veterans support Telemedicine 

Telemedicine will allow people to save time on their commutes; also there are some veteran hospitals that are faraway. Patients can communicate with docters and nurses about non-emergenices. Therapy sessions can be completed through a skype program. Telemedicine is a good service that can help multiple people. 

We need to make Tele-Medicine more prevalent in this country.

Taking action on medicaid funding of telemedicine makes sense as it would provide all Virginians with better access to affordable healthcare. It would also provide men and women without easy access to a doctor the ability to still meet with a physician and get the care they need. 

I've used telemedicine before and have discovered it to be useful for minor illnesses. It was very convenient. I also found my physician to recommend a physical office visit when he didn't think a televisit would work.

This just makes sense.

I believe that Tele-Health options should be expanded to all medicaid recipients so that even those that are the least fortunate can have equal access as those in the private industry. 

For the growing Hispanic community in Virginia, telemedicine includes the added benefit of encouraging preventive care. The U.S. Census Bureau found that Hispanics were the least likely racial or ethnic group to see a medical provider over a three-year period with over 40 percent never visiting a doctor or other provider each year between 2009 and 2011. Additionally, telemedicine provides the option and convenience of accessing a Spanish speaking doctor.

By bringing innovative technologies like telemedicine to the fingertips of thousands of Hispanics and Virginians across the commonwealth, we can bring about better care. Expanding telemedicine coverage for Medicaid patients will provide more convenience and access while lowering wait times and costs to providing the care. Let's increase access to care for all Virginians while saving taxpayer money.

telemedicine services would make care more affordable and lower wait times and it should be covered!

Los servicios de telemedicina disminuyen los costos de la atención médica y los tiempos de espera, Medicaid debería cubrir estos servicios.

The Department of Medical Assistance Services should absolutely cover all types of telemedicine services. Why would it make sense to cover less for the least fortunate? 

Medicaid should cover innovative health care options, such as telemedicine, which allows health care professionals to follow up with patients quickly and frequently (which means they can treat more patients in the same amount of time), and at a lower cost to both the program (saving taxpayer dollars!) and to the patient, who can avoid travel costs and time away from work.  Government programs need to support innovative customer care; not stand in its way.

Telemedicine has the potential to change the way people receive the medical care they need right when they need it. It helps patients in rural areas, giving expanded access through technology. It helps Hispanic families who may want to talk to a Spanish-speaking doctor but do not have one near them. 

Telemedicine can also help lower medical costs. It can really improve people's lives. Most private insurance in VA already covers it. Why should medicaid be behind? So I think Medicaid should adopt telemedicine. 

Telemedicine opens up access for patients as well as for providers, and gives patients more control over their health care decisions.

Telemedicine can change people's lives. Being on Medicaid shouldn't be a barrier to getting the care you need. 

This is one of the worst types of discrimination against the poor and needy. By blocking their access you are literally helping the poor be poor. You are in no way protecting them, but maintaining unnecessary barriers that they need to overcome to come out of the poverty cycle. 

We are fighting a battle for the welfare of our communities and families like never before. We need much support in the area of Mental and Physical Health Care. Our systems can not support over burdensome costs and ill-manufactured consequences that aid in the breakdown off the nuclear family and long term social and economic impact. Let’s get back to the basics and take care of our own 

I believe it is every human's intrinsic right to pursue the avenue of healthcare they so choose. I believe it is rather ridiculous that a Medicaid recipient is unable to enjoy the convenience of telemedicine. This needs to change. 

La telemedicina es un gran avance en el campo de la salud. El tiempo es un factor importante para todos, poder consultar un medico desde la comodidad de su casa o desde una zona lejana a un centro medico o por que no desde su trabajo seria fantastico. Atencion medica en el instante que se necesita con los profesionales acreditados sin perder tiempo en transportarse o esperando largas citas. Hurra!

Virginians should have access to telemedicine.  Especially Medicaid patients.  

Virginia Medicaid patients using telemedicine will have better access to their physician and specialists.  This will help elderly or medically challenged patients have better distance management for healthcare.  This is even more important for patients that are in remote areas of the Commonwealth being 1-2 hours away from medical care.

This will save Virginia taxpayers.  Medicaid patients can use telemedicine for consults and basic health needs.  Which saves the cost of patients using a more expensive health portal such as an emergency room.

esta muy buena la idea 

Telemedicine is a more convenient and easy access solution.

I believe it is important that all Virginians have equal access to telehealth services. DMAS should not be in the business of denying certain types of healthcare to our less privileged citizens. All people should have as many options to choose from as possible in regards to the right healthcare option for them.  

Offering these telemedicine services are increasing access for individuals and families. Please embrace these care increasing, cost saving, innovative care options! This will lead to equal access to care for those who need it! 

Telehealth is a critical tool to ensure our veterans, especially rural veterans, can access health care when and where they need it.  It affords our warfighters the opportunity to be in a comfortable setting without the pressures or stress of a large institution. 

Additional emphasis should be placed particularly on telemental health in preventing suicides. An estimated 20 veteran and active duty service members take their lives each and everyday. 14 of whom are people who were not seeking care at the time of their death.  Access to these critical services could be a real gamechanger in the lives of our nation's heroes and their families. We owe them that. 

I am writing, as a voter in Virginia, to ask for more policies that would support the expansion of telemedicine. This would greatly help working class americans such as myself. 

Thank you,

Viviana Vargas

Telemedicine is an important service that positively impacts both myself and my family. My mother is severely disabled, and Telemedicine mades it much easier to get medical treatment without the commotion of having to get out of the house. It also saves my family money. 

Telemedicine improves the way people receive the medical care they need right when they need it. For patients in rural areas, or those who can’t leave their homes due to illness, the ability to receive distance care from medical professionals can be lifesaving! Also, for Spanish-speakers, it gives more chances of being able to talk to a Spanish-speaking doctor.

So I think Medicaid should adopt telemedicine to improve people’s lives

Telemedicine appointments are less expensive than traditional appointments on average, reducing overall healthcare costs, which saves the government money. It is also more efficient for following up with patients. Most private insurance already covers telemedicine. Why should Medicaid be left behind?

So I think Medicaid should adopt telemedicine to improve people’s lives.

I do not understand why Medicaid is refusing to cover its own recipients in the same way that private insurance covers patients who use telemedicine services and providers. Virginia Medicaid needs to change its policy immediately and cover these medical services. After all, the entire purpose of expanding Medicaid coverage (and Medicaid in general) is to help provide healthcare for those who cannot afford coverage. Implicit in that is making it affordable for these patients. What better way to hold down costs and make health care more available at the same time than to allow people to use technology for health care where it is applicable?

Furthermore, private insurance covers telemedicine. There should be no double standard in insurance coverage, whether private or public, especially since there are no apparent administrative, financial or medical hinderances to allow for the Medicaid reimbursement. In fact, there is nothing but positives in it -- more coverage, lower costs, greater access and more convenience. Please allow for Medicaid to reimbursement for telemedicine provider services. Simply add willing telemedicine providers, who want to help these patients, to those whom Medicaid reimburses.The people, through their lawmakers, overwhelmingly agreed to provide this new and very helpful service. I respectfully ask that the will of the people, and the needs of Medicaid patients, be honored. 

Steve Rossie

513 North Arthur Ashe Boulevard No.18

Richmond, Va. 23220-3344

I believe that people on medicaid should be allowed access to telemedicine. Creating incentives for telemedicine will have benefits for Virginia in the long run. 

I think that people on medicaid should be able to have access to the same people in the private sector.  I also favor cutting costs, and I think that telemedicine is more cost effective.

We need telemedicine to update our medical practices into the 21st Century! 

I support of adoption of tele-medicine.

Telemedicine has so much potential for providing aid to Virginians in need across the whole state, please support the measure!

Everyone should have easy access to medical care, and telemedicine would go a long way in making medical care more equal. I support this. 

Hey this is a good thing you guys should do this!!

Hey you guys should adopt telemedicine! This would help many people I know in my area and I think it would be good for other people in the state. 

I have had an experience with Tellemedicine. My prior insurance company offered the service and I saved time and money. Getting to a doctors office can be logistically challenging, demanding of time, and expensive. Men, women, and children on Medicaid and the elderly on medicare who have mobility, transportation, and unforgiving work schedules could utilize these services. It is a win-win for the state and the citizen. Thank you. 

Telemedicine services have personally helped in my life to lowering cost to accessible healthcare for me!

Telemedicine services have helped my family due to the fact they have no healthcare and with telemedicine services they were able to receive cheaper appointments with access to a physician.