Columbus, OH – On Wednesday, The Buckeye Institute submitted written testimony (see full text below or download a PDF) to the Ohio House Insurance Committee on the policies in House Bill 122, which would permanently expand access to telehealth for all Ohioans.

In his testimony, Rea S. Hederman Jr., vice president for policy at The Buckeye Institute, “applauded the regulatory changes adopted by the Trump and DeWine administrations that increased access to telehealth care,” and noted that Buckeye has “encouraged broader use of telehealth for general medical care and mental health care.”

Highlighting the “years of research [that] demonstrate telehealth’s potential to improve access to care, lower costs, and increase flexibility for patients and providers,” Hederman pointed out that “[p]atients have experienced firsthand the value that telehealth provides and will be reluctant to see telehealth access restricted again.” This is particularly important given the “significant promise for helping rural and elderly patients.”

Saying that “[a]ll Ohioans should have equal telehealth access to their healthcare providers,” Hederman also noted that given the Trump Administration “made telehealth reforms permanent for federal health programs,” Ohio faces the prospect of Medicaid recipients having “greater access to more care providers through telehealth than those with private health care coverage.”

In closing, Hederman urged the General Assembly to improve House Bill 122 by “allowing Ohio patients to use telehealth technology to consult with doctors outside of Ohio,” saying the policies in House Bill 122 “can make permanent a more innovative access to health care that can better meet the needs of patients and providers.”

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Ohio Can Improve Access to Health Care Through Telehealth

Interested Party Testimony
Ohio House Insurance Committee
House Bill 122

Rea S. Hederman Jr.
Vice President of Policy
The Buckeye Institute
March 10, 2021

Chairman Brinkman, Vice Chair Lampton, and Ranking Member Miranda, thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony on House Bill 122.

My name is Rea Hederman, I am the vice president of policy at The Buckeye Institute, an independent research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to advance free-market public policy in the states.

Last year, The Buckeye Institute applauded the regulatory changes adopted by the Trump and DeWine administrations that increased access to telehealth care, and we support Ohio’s latest effort to make such access permanent. In our writings and previous testimony, we have encouraged broader use of telehealth for general medical care and mental health care, so we commend House Bill 122’s telehealth coverage for psychologists, professional clinical counselors, independent social workers, and independent marriage and family therapists. By extending coverage to include advance practice registered nurses, pharmacists, occupational and physical therapists, and other health professionals, the bill will help Ohio citizens—especially those living in rural areas—access more health care services and specialists. 

Years of research demonstrate telehealth’s potential to improve access to care, lower costs, and increase flexibility for patients and providers. These benefits took on special meaning during this pandemic. Patients have experienced firsthand the value that telehealth provides and will be reluctant to see telehealth access restricted again. 

Much remains to be learned about broadening telehealth services, but they already appear to hold significant promise for helping rural and elderly patients. So policymakers should continue looking for ways to expand telehealth access without hobbling its potential to improve outcomes, lower costs, and promote future innovations. 

The Trump Administration made telehealth reforms permanent for federal health programs, but Ohio’s telehealth reforms have not yet been codified. Thus, Medicaid recipients may have greater access to more care providers through telehealth than those with private health care coverage. That is not right. All Ohioans should have equal telehealth access to their healthcare providers. House Bill 122 helps achieve that objective.

The General Assembly can improve House Bill 122 by allowing Ohio patients to use telehealth technology to consult with doctors outside of Ohio. State law should not prevent patients from using technology to consult with out-of-state physicians under agreements with their primary physicians in Ohio or with another Ohio-based doctor when seeking a second opinion. 

House Bill 122 goes a long way towards expanding health care access in Ohio. The bill can make permanent a more innovative access to health care that can better meet the needs of patients and providers. The federal government has already done so and now Ohio should too. 

The Buckeye Institute appreciates the opportunity to submit written testimony on this critical issue. 

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