Telemedicine is the ability to see a doctor without leaving your house. You can use the smart devices in your home to have a medical consultation with your doctor. Services offered include:
If you are one of the many Connecticut residents using Medicaid, then understanding Telemedicine is even more important. Learn more about telemedicine coverage and Connecticut Medicaid below.
Telemedicine is a virtual safe alternative to going to a doctor's office. Telemedicine has some serious stigmas that aren't true. Telemedicine works the same as going to your physical doctor's office.
Using this resource has all the same benefits, plus more. You are still working with trained professionals whose goal is to ensure your health, which is the biggest concern with most patients who try Telemedicine for the first time.
This means:
Your safety is the number one priority for your health care provider. When you visit your doctor or nurse practitioner, you expect to be treated quickly and with competence. This remains the same for Telemedicine. Medical providers use Telemedicine to help you quickly get answers to your health concerns.
Just because you are not meeting with your doctor in person does not mean that your health isn't their top priority. Some people may believe that if you are not face to face with your doctor, then their full attention isn't on you. That isn't true.
Telemedicine allows your doctor or APRN to personally give you his time without sacrificing your health during the pandemic and beyond. The use of virtual visits limits your exposure to harmful viruses and bacteria found in the air. Telehealth benefit protects you from getting sick while going to the doctor.
Even though you are not personally seeing where your doctor is working doesn't mean that he isn't legitimate. Telemedicine providers are licensed professionals. Most people are more comfortable working with a local provider because they have built a professional relationship with them. However, you can build a relationship with a telehealth provider if you know where to look. Some companies, such as VirtualWalkinCenter.com, try to match you with the same provider. If this isn't possible, they keep electronic records from your previous visits.
This doesn't mean that you can't use this resource if your primary doctor isn't offering telemedicine services. If your primary doctor does not directly participate in a telemedicine program, you can trust that you will be referred back to your licensed, trusted doctor or nurse practitioner.
The doctors and providers who participate in virtual visits are eager to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Helping their patients without meeting face to face is the shared goal of telemedicine doctors. The telemedicine community is designed to help you. That way, you can trust that you will be working with dedicated professionals who have your best interest in mind.
Video chats and social apps are commonly viewed as ways to interact with friends. This is why video chatting with your doctor doesn't seem professional. This, however, is not true when it comes to telemedicine visits.
Telemedicine allows you to use video apps to have a professional meeting with your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will provide you with the same service level virtually as he does in person.
It is reassuring to understand that just because you use social apps for your appointment does not mean that it will be a social visit. Video apps like skype are leading the telemedicine front. There are other HIPPA compliant apps that can be used to set up a connection. During the covid pandemic, you could even do the visit using apps such as WhatsApp, Facetime, and GoogleDuo (this may change as rules are modified).
As the patient, you will also be expected to communicate with the same level of professionalism as you do in person. Telemedicine is a great medical resource as long as it is used respectfully.
Your virtual doctor is required to protect your information just the same as if you are in a physical office. While it can seem intimidating to verify your personal information over a video conference, you should keep in mind that your consultant understands this worry.
You can also ask for the medical provider's license information at the time of the visit to verify their credentials. You should also get their full name and credentials for future reference.
Telemedicine has procedures in place that allow you to communicate freely with your doctor without compromising your security. Your doctor will not ask you for any personal information that isn't needed for your medical records.
Your privacy is important to the telemedicine community and won't be used without your permission, giving you peace of mind when it comes to virtual visits.
If you are in Connecticut and using Medicaid benefits, then Telemedicine may be easier to use than you thought. Telemedicine makes it easier to see the doctor when you are sick or need routine things such as refills on medications.
Medicaid is part of a national health program designed to provide healthcare to all who need it. It follows many of the same rules as medicare.
Income restraints or unavoidable medical expenses can cause many households to forgo proper medical treatment. The goal of Medicaid is to provide healthcare opportunities for households that otherwise couldn't afford it.
To be considered eligible for Medicaid in Connecticut, you must be:
If you are a resident of Connecticut and one or more of the above items apply to you, then you could be eligible to receive Medicaid. Medicaid is also awarded based on income. This Connecticut benefit webpage is a resource that will help you determine if you are in the income range to receive Medicaid.
More states, including Connecticut, are adding Telemedicine to the list of services covered by Medicaid. According to this telehealth policy website, Connecticut is required to offer its citizens using Medicaid a way to finance telemedicine resources.
If you are using Connecticut Medicaid, then utilizing Telemedicine as part of your plan is easy. By simply contacting the telehealth company office, you are able to find out if they offer telemedicine visits to Connecticut Medicaid patients. If they offer these services, then you will just make an appointment like you normally do, and they will process your insurance.
VirtualWalkinCenter.com does currently accept patients with Medicaid insurance.
If your doctor doesn't offer Telemedicine, then your doctor's office will be able to direct you to a trusted telemedicine provider. You will then make a virtual appointment to get established as a new patient and address your reason for the visit. After your virtual appointment, that telemedicine provider will file your insurance.
Some companies will even offer telehealth visits to residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut. One such company, InHouse Care LLC, provides advanced nurse practitioners to nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout Connecticut.
If a facility requires assistance when an APRN isn't in the facility, the homes can call their on-call service to set up a virtual visit for the patient. This can help avoid unnecessary hospitalizations.
Telemedicine is a great resource that can keep you safe during this uncertain time. It will hopefully continue to be a value-added service officered to patients.
Medicaid now covers these virtual services for those enrolled in a Connecticut benefit plan. Telemedicine services provide the same level of care as a face to face visit and can make seeing a doctor when sick more convenient.
Using Telemedicine is as simple as making an appointment VirtualWalkinCenter, and the benefits are clear. Staying home helps stop the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Telemedicine is here to make sure you get the quality healthcare you deserve.
https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1622
https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/telemedicine/index.html
https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/downloads/medicaid-chip-telehealth-toolkit.pdf
