Editorial Roundup: Minnesota
April 13, 2021 — 7:00pm
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Editorial: Keep moving forward on expanded telehealth in Minnesota
The pandemic ushered in changes that enhanced patients' access, convenience.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced sweeping changes in how we work, with many workers doing their jobs remotely for much of the past year.
A swift though lesser-remarked-on transformation happened as well in medical care. As lockdowns loomed, state and federal regulators eased restrictions on "telehealth." That led to more virtual visits in Minnesota and elsewhere, with doctors and patients communicating via video or a phone call in lieu of a clinic appointment. A year later, there's a timely debate at the Minnesota Capitol over whether to maintain telehealth expansion measures, which are set to expire 60 days after the end of the peacetime COVID emergency. The answer should be yes, let's keep going. A dispute between two key health care stakeholders — providers and insurers — over payment levels for telehealth care shouldn't derail the legislation to do so.