Mississippi is one of 29 states that has legislation mandating telehealth reimbursement from private payors at the same rate as in-person care and one of 48 states that has some level of Medicaid coverage for telemedicine. However, Mississippi’s laws requiring telemedicine parity by both private and public payors have been nationally recognized, receiving a grade of“A” from the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).
At the federal level, Mississippi’s Congressional delegation has been champions for telehealth. Congressman Gregg Harper’s H.R. 2066, the Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2015, has been a priority for the ATA. Additionally, Senator Roger Wicker held a U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation subcommittee hearing in April 2015 to discuss howbroadband infrastructure supports telehealth. In May 2015, Senator Thad Cochran held a U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittee hearing to highlight the importance of telehealth for meeting rural healthcare needs.
For updates on current telehealth bills in Congress, visit the ATA’s public policy information.