ERIC Joins Delaware’s Telehealth Rulemaking Process

For Immediate Release

Washington, DC – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) today submitted a letter to the Delaware Department of Insurance regarding recently proposed telehealth regulations. As the only national association advocating for solely for the benefit and compensation interests of America’s largest employers, ERIC is extremely active in working to create consistent policies and barrier-free access to telehealth across the nation.

“The ERISA Industry Committee is pleased the Department’s proposed telehealth rules include language that is technology-neutral and a definition of originating sites that allows for care to be provided to patients wherever they may be at the time telehealth services are provided,” said Annette Guarisco Fildes, president and CEO, ERIC. “However, ERIC believes Delaware’s requirement to reimburse at the same rate for in-person and telemedicine visits creates an unnecessary and inflexible mandate on payers.”

Telehealth increases access to care at a cost-effective rate. If savings are achieved through its use, ERIC believes that those savings should be reflected in the cost and reimbursement rates of telehealth services.

“We hope to see policies in the future that allow for flexibility in reimbursement and coverage rates that reflect all of the benefits of telehealth, including potential cost-savings,” said Guarisco Fildes.

ERIC supports policies that increase access to telehealth by adopting technology-neutral definitions; allowing care to be provided to a patient wherever he or she is located at the time of the telehealth visit; and avoiding additional requirements on telehealth visits that are not required for in-person visits. It is imperative that funds to pay benefits are maximized and not diverted to administrative and compliance burdens stemming from disparate and potentially conflicting state rules and regulations.  Creating consistent telehealth policies allows ERIC members, some of the country’s largest employers, and their employees to enjoy the same standard of care regardless of the state in which they live or work.

To read ERIC’s letter in its entirety, click here.

You can learn more about ERIC’s telehealth initiative here.

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All media inquiries to The ERISA Industry Committee should be directed to media@eric.org.

About The ERISA Industry Committee
ERIC is a national advocacy organization that exclusively represents large employers that provide health, retirement, paid leave, and other benefits to their nationwide workforces. With member companies that are leaders in every sector of the economy, ERIC advocates on the federal, state, and local levels for policies that promote flexibility and uniformity in the administration of their employee benefit plans.