cpsylist: FW: Oregon Telehealth Agreement Expiring Dec. 31, 2020

[Ellen McWhirter]

Dear CPSY Community,
Please read, share, and act as you see fit regarding this information regarding telehealth in Oregon after Dec 31st, sent from Lane County Psych Association.
Best,
Ellen
*********************************************
Ellen Hawley McWhirter, Ph.D.
Ann Swindells Professor of Counseling Psychology
Director, Spanish Language Specialization
5251 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-5251
(541) 346-2443 (office)
(541) 346-6778 (fax)
https://education.uoregon.edu/people/faculty/ellenmcw

I support all students regardless of immigration status or country of origin. As a member of the UO Dreamers Working Group, I support Dreamer students and promote their sense of belonging and safety as they pursue their higher education goals. For more information and resources please visit our Dreamers page (https://www.uoregon.edu/uo-dreamers) and the Immigration FAQs page (http://international.uoregon.edu/immigration_faq ). Remember, when interacting with faculty, staff, and offices around campus you are never required to reveal your status.

From: LCPA <lcpa.or.info at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2020 4:31 PM
To: LCPA Secretary <lcpa.or.info at gmail.com>
Subject: Oregon Telehealth Agreement Expiring Dec. 31, 2020

Respectfully offered by the LCPA Advocacy Committee:
----------------------
Melissa Todd
Lori Allen
Ryan Scott
Ida Moadab

Dear Colleague,

Do you know that the Oregon Telehealth Guidance Agreement is set to expire on December 31st, 2020?

Why does this matter?
· Without the agreement, we lose the reassurance of uniformity among commercial insurance plans and OHP/Medicaid coordinated care organizations (CCOs) in covering telehealth during the COVID-19 emergency.
· Telehealth coverage will need to be verified for each plan, creating more administrative burden and confusion as you encounter variable policies.
· The peace of mind for you and your clients that you can choose telehealth as a means of service delivery during COVID-19 may be lost.
What’s in the agreement?
· Commercial insurers and all Oregon CCOs agree to reimburse telehealth at the same level as in-person office visits so providers are not financially penalized for telehealth.
· A list of covered telehealth behavioral health services are specified, affording extra protection to people with mental health needs.
· It allows you to provide services from home and removes restrictions on where your clients can be located to receive services.
What can I do?

Oregon legislators know how important behavioral health services are to their constituents, but they lack the frontline information that we mental health professionals can provide. They need to hear from you how the Telehealth Agreement has enabled you to meet the mental health needs of your clients during this extremely challenging time. Call or write to your state legislators and ask them to extend the Telehealth Agreement past December 31st.
What do I say?
Dear [Representative or Senator X],

My name is [Name] and I’m a [preferred professional title] in Lane County. It has come to my attention that the DCBS/OHA Telehealth Guidance Agreement is set to expire on December 31st. This agreement has been essential in allowing me to meet the mental health needs of my clients during COVID-19 by [description of telehealth benefits specific to me and my clients]. Please support me in continuing to provide safe and accessible behavioral health services to Lane County residents by advocating to extend the Telehealth Agreement past December 31st. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Name + Credentials]

Need ideas for talking points?
· Telehealth has improved accessibility for my clients, who are able to access care from home or other circumstances.
· The Telehealth Agreement has allowed me and my clients to stay safer from COVID-19 by minimizing our exposure, while ensuring that neither I nor my clients are financially penalized.
· Delivering services through telehealth has increased appointment show rates, demonstrating that it is an effective mode of treatment.
Who are my legislators and how do I contact them?
Lane County Representatives:
· District 8 - Paul Holvey: 503-986-1408, Rep.PaulHolvey at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:Rep.PaulHolvey at oregonlegislature.gov>
· District 11 - Marty Wilde: 503-986-1411, Rep.MartyWilde at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:Rep.MartyWilde at oregonlegislature.gov>
· District 12 - John Lively: 503-986-1412, Rep.JohnLively at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:Rep.JohnLively at oregonlegislature.gov>
· District 13 - Nancy Nathanson: 503-986-1413, Rep.NancyNathanson at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:Rep.NancyNathanson at oregonlegislature.gov>
· District 14 - Julie Fahey: 503-986-1414, Rep.JulieFahey at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:Rep.JulieFahey at oregonlegislature.gov>
· District 9 - Caddy McKowan: 503-986-1409, Rep.CaddyMcKeown at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:Rep.CaddyMcKeown at oregonlegislature.gov> - new Rep. starting in January is Boomer Wright (Boomer at BoomerWright.com<mailto:Boomer at BoomerWright.com>)
Lane County Senators:
· District 4 - Floyd Prozanski: 503-986-1704, Sen.FloydProzanski at OregonLegislature.gov<mailto:Sen.FloydProzanski at OregonLegislature.gov>
· District 6 - Lee Beyer: 503-986-1706, Sen.LeeBeyer at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:Sen.LeeBeyer at oregonlegislature.gov>
· District 7 - James Manning: 503-986-1707, sen.jamesmanning at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:sen.jamesmanning at oregonlegislature.gov>
· District 5 - Arnie Roblan: 503-986-1705, Sen.ArnieRoblan at oregonlegislature.gov<mailto:Sen.ArnieRoblan at oregonlegislature.gov> - new Sen starting in January is Fred Anderson (no email available).
Located outside of Lane County?

Here is where you can find your area state legislators:
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/findyourlegislator/leg-districts.html<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.oregonlegislature.gov/findyourlegislator/leg-districts.html__;!!C5qS4YX3!QyE7ii2wl60JAjcu-MV1ihD-fiItUcSmbZ-PYhrqh32lCa4-g2HxXpKXQlIh6NYOxT0$>

Want more information?

Please see attached full text of the Telehealth Guidance Agreement for a more comprehensive description of what it covers. Also see attached list of commercial insurers who have agreed to participate.

Spread the word....

Please forward this information to your colleagues as the Telehealth Agreement affects us, our clients, and all Oregonians seeking safe and accessible mental health care.

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