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Introduction
The healthcare policies enacted by the government have a significant impact on the lives of the nations citizens, affecting their quality of welfare. In this regard, regulations that become legislative acts are of special interest for numerous shareholders aiming to receive appropriate medical services. The recently introduced Telehealth Modernization Act is a perfect example of a healthcare policy that is expected to become a legislative act, extending several temporal features of telemedicine and altering them to remain permanent under the current law (The US Congress, 2021). Although this policy is yet to be approved as public law, it is essential for preventing the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic through expanding access to telemedicine for various populations. This paper discusses the primary advantages and disadvantages of the Telehealth Modernization Act, considering the governments impact on health care costs and outlining how the state officials will enforce the proposed policy.
The Telehealth Modernization Act: Outcomes for Patients, Families, and Communities
The influence of telemedicine on the welfare of the nations citizens is a crucial concern for government entities, required to ensure proper access to health care services while simultaneously preserving the welfare of multiple populations. From this perspective, telemedicine is a perfect instrument for providing medical services to various patients and their families while avoiding extensive healthcare costs (Japinga et al., 2021). Telemedicine offers easier access to medical services for patients and increases time efficiency and resource preservation, as the clients remain at their homes during the consultation (Japinga et al., 2021). Furthermore, as the process of remote consultation is more simplified, lacking physical examination, it is considered a cheaper option in comparison to traditional appointments (Schofield, 2021). Although the idea of telemedicine has already been endorsed by the Senate, in the current environment, the past legislation became insufficient for covering the citizens needs, resulting in the introduction of the Telehealth Modernization Act.
The proposed policy is especially advantageous for individuals and families who rely on remote medicine and are unable to attend clinical institutions due to their health conditions. Telemedicine ensures that all patients receive the necessary services while avoiding the potential complications related to physical difficulties and lack of movement (Teitelbaum & Wilensky, 2016). Populations forced to stay inside their accommodation due to disability or risk of exposure will especially benefit from the Telehealth Act, which will offer them an opportunity to consult with the medical professionals from their homes.
Another crucial benefit of the Telehealth Modernization Act is the health care access for individuals in remote locations. Although hospitals and medical clinics are usually located considering the ease of access for all populations, specific communities might be neglected due to their distant placement from major cities (Japinga et al., 2021). The Telehealth Act resolves the complications related to lack of medical service access for rural communities, allowing them to attend professional consultations without having to travel significant distances.
Finally, considering the current environment of the pandemic, it is essential to mitigate the risk of exposure. As the preventative measures for the COVID-19 pandemic require that individuals remaining in social isolation and avoid interpersonal contact, telemedicine becomes a valuable instrument for providing health care services (Puro & Feyereisen, 2020). Through remote consultations, individuals will be able to receive professional help without direct social interaction, diminishing the possibility of contracting or spreading the COVID-19 virus.
Nevertheless, there are several crucial disadvantages to the introduction of the Telehealth Modernization Act. First of all, the physical component of the medical examination is especially vital for assessing the well-being of particular populations, as it allows to establish the level of their physiological welfare and evaluate potential risks (Alexander et al., 2021). This practice is crucial for individuals with severe disorders or those who lack movement. In this regard, as the telemedicine method is completely based on only visual and auditory interaction, the doctor might be unable to fully analyze the patients condition, resulting in future health complications.
After that, even though telemedicine might be less time and resource-demanding in comparison to traditional clinical services, it can be less accessible for individuals in rural locations who lack the necessary equipment to attend remote consultations (Puro & Feyereisen, 2020). Telemedicine requires sufficient internet and electronic device quality for productive discussion, which may be unattainable for populations with a lack of internet coverage or technical equipment.
Finally, a significant disadvantage concerns the issues related to COVID-19 preventative measures. The Telehealth Modernization Act partially covers the considerations related to the pandemic, and numerous regulations will be necessary to sufficiently address telemedicine coverage and ensure that all vulnerable populations are provided health care services (Schofield, 2021). Furthermore, individuals suffering from the Coronavirus still require sufficient examination and special treatment equipment, which is not easily accessible from home.
Health care costs are significantly impacted by the government legislation that endorses or discourages specific health care practices. By supporting certain pricing strategies or enabling the healthcare insurers to charge extra fees for their services, the state officials contribute to the increase of medical expenses or decrease in these amounts (Teitelbaum & Wilensky, 2016). A perfect example is the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA), which utilizes the method of users fees and necessitates that the insured populations pay a specific sum for receiving the health care coverage (Keith, 2021). However, as the users fee is established by government authorities and can be increased or decreased, following the recent update of the ACA, it is evident that the state officials substantially affect the health care costs in the US.
The Telehealth Modernization Act will be enforced by the Senate and practiced by numerous supporting organizations, such as the Alliance For Aging Research and the American Medical Association. The federal entities responsibility in promoting the Telehealth Modernization Act lies in providing the necessary legislation to control the provision of telemedicine and establish specific populations and medical services to be provided remotely (Puro & Feyereisen, 2020). After that, the officials of particular states well define how these rules will be regulated on the local level, recognizing healthcare insurers responsible for offering telemedicine practices and determining the aspects of health insurance for the citizens (Puro & Feyereisen, 2020). Finally, local health care centers will be able to determine how the available professionals will provide telemedicine coverage to patients, governing employee schedules and equipment accessibility.
Conclusion
To conclude, the telehealth modernization bill proposed by the Senate as a legislative act has been discussed in detail in this paper, clarifying that this legislation can tremendously benefit individuals and families who are unable to attend traditional consultations. As telemedicine ensures remote access for all individuals, it can substantially improve health care access for populations with severe conditions, mental disorders, movement disabilities. Furthermore, the Telehealth Modernization Act promotes medical services access for rural communities, improving their quality of well-being. In the current pandemic environment, telemedicine is a vital instrument that promotes social isolation, safety from exposure, and preventative measures application. However, it is essential to consider the limitations of this policy, especially the lack of physical contact during the medical examination. Given that telemedicine can substantially reduce the expenses related to receiving medical services, the states decision regarding the enactment of this regulation is vital to consider.
References
Alexander, G. L., Powell, K. R., & Deroche, C. B. (2021). An evaluation of telehealth expansion in U.S. nursing homes. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 28(2), 342348. Web.
Japinga, M., Singletary, E., & McClellan, M. (2021). How telehealth expansion can support comprehensive virtual care. NEJM Catalyst, 2(7). Web.
Keith, K. (2021). ACA action continues as law is upheld. Health Affairs, 40(9), 13521353. Web.
Puro, N. A., & Feyereisen, S. (2020). Telehealth availability in US hospitals in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Journal of Rural Health, 36(4), 577583. Web.
Schofield, M. (2021). Regulatory and legislative issues on telehealth. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 36(4), 729738. Web.
Teitelbaum, J. B., & Wilensky, S. E. (2016). Essentials of health policy and law (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
The US Congress. (2021). S.368 117th Congress (2021-2022): Telehealth Modernization Act (2021/2022) [Legislation]. Web.
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