The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) www.eric.org is the only non-profit national trade association advocating for employee benefits and compensation for large employers. ERIC is leading a nationwide initiative to promote policies to facilitate access to telehealth for employees and their families.
Employee benefits are a key tool for recruiting and retaining employees. Employers have a strong interest in tailoring benefit packages to appeal to current and potential employees.
Employer members need consistent telehealth policies around the country so that their workers and their families can enjoy the same company benefits regardless of the state in which they live or work.
According to the committee, it is imperative that funds to pay benefits are maximized and not diverted to comply with a myriad of disparate and potentially conflicting state rules and regulations. To achieve this goal, ERIC is striving to promote uniformity of telehealth rules around the country and to remove barriers that impede the efficient and effective delivery of healthcare.
ERIC supports the delivery of telehealth services that are technology neutral and not constrained by prerequisites or mandates on their cost or use. This year, ERIC will be involved in major telehealth discussions that may occur in the future at the state and federal levels.
ERIC is encouraging state policies to:
- Avoid imposing additional requirements on providers that offer telehealth services that are not imposed on in person visits
- Avoid restrictions that require patients to visit specific locations such as originating sites in order to access telehealth services
- Adopt technology-neutral requirement, permitting use of different types of technology platforms that are designed for telehealth
- Adopt licensing policies to facilitate inter-state practice so providers located in or out of the state who deliver high quality care, can serve patients located in that state
- Consider the needs of patients to have better access to care that can be provided via telehealth either through a telehealth visit or by remote monitoring
For more information contact Allison Wils at the ERISA Industry Committee at awils@eric.org