Florida TaxWatch: Address Telehealth Challenges Now to Ensure a Robust Health System for Florida’s Patients
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its latest briefing, Telehealth in Florida: Where We Are and What is Next analyzing the challenges and obstacles currently facing telehealth systems, healthcare providers, and patients as Florida moves through the novel coronavirus pandemic and looks to the future of care in the state. The FTW analysis identified broadband internet access, digital readiness, and reimbursement and regulatory discrepancies as the main challenges needing to be addressed through a collaborative approach by local, state, and federal government agencies, healthcare organizations, and patients to ensure a robust telehealth system capable of serving millions of Floridians.
As Florida and the nation have responded to COVID-19, many of the recommendations made by FTW in this briefing, including modifications to reimbursement guidelines and regulatory reforms, have been implemented on a temporary or limited basis. In its report, FTW urges policymakers and healthcare leaders to adopt these changes permanently to better serve patients and remove barriers to care.
Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “Of the many lessons learned during our national response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, perhaps the most critical to ensuring better access to care and a robust health system in Florida is investing in the proven value of telehealth. While there has been a rapid adoption of these policies during the COVID-19 crisis, we know that challenges and barriers to care remain and must be addressed now. Florida TaxWatch research was instrumental in securing Florida’s first telehealth legislation in 2014 and we have remained strong and vocal advocates of expanding access to care through telehealth policy. Today, we again urge government and health care leaders to work collaboratively to improve outcomes and service for Florida’s patients by quickly implementing these needed reforms.”
You can read the full briefing HERE.
About Florida TaxWatch
As an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and taxpayer research institute for more than forty years and the trusted eyes and ears of Florida taxpayers, Florida TaxWatch works to improve the productivity and accountability of Florida government. Its research recommends productivity enhancements and explains the statewide impact of fiscal and economic policies and practices on citizens and businesses. Florida TaxWatch is supported by its membership via voluntary, tax-deductible donations and private grants, and does not accept government funding. Donations provide a solid, lasting foundation that has enabled Florida TaxWatch to bring about a more effective, responsive government that is more accountable to, and productive for, the citizens it serves since 1979. For more information, please visit www.floridataxwatch.org.