ATTENDEE INFORMATION
OVERVIEW OF WEBINAR:
- 3 Hours Ethics CE
- TIME: 9 AM - Noon CT
- BREAK: there will be one 10 minute break around 1.5 hours in to the session
- CE CODE WORDS: We will NOT be asking for code words during the session.
Learning objectives:
Topics to be included in the discussion:
- Based on APA’s ethics code, describe three ways advocacy is an ethical imperative
- Describe at least three effective advocacy actions psychologists can easily take to promote an important interest
- Describe best practices in communicating persuasively with policymakers and basics of story-telling in an advocacy context.
- Describe at least two actionable steps that can be taken to broaden one’s advocacy impact through social media.
Topics to be included in the discussion:
- The connection between ethics and advocacy.
- Overview of legislative process, including importance of testifying in state legislatures.
- Overview of range of advocacy actions, including a slide on ways to engage with candidates.
- Group Discussion Session: Advocates discuss advocacy paths that work for them and challenges they will have to navigate, and report out.
- Communications best practices.
- Meeting best practices.
- Leveraging social media in advocacy.
- Telehealth deep dive.
Supporting Materials:
TEMPLATE LETTER TO LEGISLATOR
Greetings all,
Please take 2 minutes by Monday, April 15 at 1 PM to urge Representative Francis, Chairman of the Missouri House of Representatives Rules--Administrative Oversight Committee, to protect audio-only telehealth. This is the 3rd consecutive year that the Missouri Psychological Association has worked to pass crucial protections for audio-only telehealth. There are only 5 weeks left in the legislative session to pass this bill into law. Otherwise, we have to start over again next year.
1. Address email to: [email protected]
2. Subject line for email: Please Vote Do Pass HCS HB2824
3. Cut and paste the text below (do not include my email signature )
4. Add your professional name at the end after the “Sincerely"
Dear Chairman Francis,
I am writing in strong support of HCS HB2824. This bill contains language to protect audio-only telehealth, which is bipartisan, popular, and supports Speaker Plocher's priority of protecting access to healthcare for Missourians.
As you know, telehealth has become a critical tool in the delivery of healthcare services, both in Missouri and nationally. In our state challenged by a lack of access to mental and behavioral health services, treatment delivered through both audio-visual and audio-only telehealth is a therapeutically beneficial, convenient, and cost-effective means to treat a wide range of serious health concerns.
These bills clean up and enhance existing telehealth law in 2 ways.
1. Audio-Only: The continued availability and reimbursement of audio-only telehealth is no longer guaranteed by private insurance after the pandemic state of emergency. Audio-only is a critical tool for:
· Missourians living in rural areas without a strong internet infrastructure. Only 5 states have a poorer internet infrastructure than Missouri, and the Federal Communications Commission estimates that 147,000 Missouri households do not have access to high-speed internet.
· Missourians who cannot afford expensive computers, tablets, or smartphones.
· Missourians who have trouble operating more complex technology (e.g. senior citizens).
· Providing a backup option for audio-visual platforms to preserve appointments that may lose connectivity before the appointment is completed.
· Missourians who have barriers to in-person care (e.g. living a considerable distance away from needed specialists, limited transportation options, lack of childcare, limited ability to take time away from work, etc.).
Both Medicare and Medicaid have incorporated protections for audio-only telehealth in their post-pandemic emergency healthcare regulations. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) explicitly warns against reducing reimbursement for audio-only telehealth to discourage fraud or somehow improve care, stating, "At the system-level, payment models that prioritize in-person visits and provide lower payment for telehealth visits may penalize organizations that care for underserved, rural, and low-income populations, consequently discouraging telehealth use.” Further, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released guidance confirming that audio-only telehealth is easily HIPAA-compliant when using essentially the same reasonable safeguards used with audio-visual telehealth. At this point, nearly half of states have now authorized audio-only telehealth.
2. Third-Party Platforms: Some insurance companies have experimented with unfairly forcing providers to use third-party platforms.
Some insurance companies have sought to increase profits by requiring providers to use only certain telehealth platforms authorized by their companies. This has resulted in an unreasonable burden on providers who are suddenly saddled with additional expenses and the need to use multiple platforms with different rules and operating procedures. As one psychologist put it, “Can you imagine? You have to use a different platform every hour because insurance company A requires one platform and insurance company B requires a different one.” Due to the confusing process and high cost associated with this activity, several states have ended the practice.
In conclusion, we ask you to please Vote DO PASS HCS HB2824. Thank you for your service and leadership as Chairman.
Sincerely,
Please take 2 minutes by Monday, April 15 at 1 PM to urge Representative Francis, Chairman of the Missouri House of Representatives Rules--Administrative Oversight Committee, to protect audio-only telehealth. This is the 3rd consecutive year that the Missouri Psychological Association has worked to pass crucial protections for audio-only telehealth. There are only 5 weeks left in the legislative session to pass this bill into law. Otherwise, we have to start over again next year.
1. Address email to: [email protected]
2. Subject line for email: Please Vote Do Pass HCS HB2824
3. Cut and paste the text below (do not include my email signature )
4. Add your professional name at the end after the “Sincerely"
Dear Chairman Francis,
I am writing in strong support of HCS HB2824. This bill contains language to protect audio-only telehealth, which is bipartisan, popular, and supports Speaker Plocher's priority of protecting access to healthcare for Missourians.
As you know, telehealth has become a critical tool in the delivery of healthcare services, both in Missouri and nationally. In our state challenged by a lack of access to mental and behavioral health services, treatment delivered through both audio-visual and audio-only telehealth is a therapeutically beneficial, convenient, and cost-effective means to treat a wide range of serious health concerns.
These bills clean up and enhance existing telehealth law in 2 ways.
1. Audio-Only: The continued availability and reimbursement of audio-only telehealth is no longer guaranteed by private insurance after the pandemic state of emergency. Audio-only is a critical tool for:
· Missourians living in rural areas without a strong internet infrastructure. Only 5 states have a poorer internet infrastructure than Missouri, and the Federal Communications Commission estimates that 147,000 Missouri households do not have access to high-speed internet.
· Missourians who cannot afford expensive computers, tablets, or smartphones.
· Missourians who have trouble operating more complex technology (e.g. senior citizens).
· Providing a backup option for audio-visual platforms to preserve appointments that may lose connectivity before the appointment is completed.
· Missourians who have barriers to in-person care (e.g. living a considerable distance away from needed specialists, limited transportation options, lack of childcare, limited ability to take time away from work, etc.).
Both Medicare and Medicaid have incorporated protections for audio-only telehealth in their post-pandemic emergency healthcare regulations. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) explicitly warns against reducing reimbursement for audio-only telehealth to discourage fraud or somehow improve care, stating, "At the system-level, payment models that prioritize in-person visits and provide lower payment for telehealth visits may penalize organizations that care for underserved, rural, and low-income populations, consequently discouraging telehealth use.” Further, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released guidance confirming that audio-only telehealth is easily HIPAA-compliant when using essentially the same reasonable safeguards used with audio-visual telehealth. At this point, nearly half of states have now authorized audio-only telehealth.
2. Third-Party Platforms: Some insurance companies have experimented with unfairly forcing providers to use third-party platforms.
Some insurance companies have sought to increase profits by requiring providers to use only certain telehealth platforms authorized by their companies. This has resulted in an unreasonable burden on providers who are suddenly saddled with additional expenses and the need to use multiple platforms with different rules and operating procedures. As one psychologist put it, “Can you imagine? You have to use a different platform every hour because insurance company A requires one platform and insurance company B requires a different one.” Due to the confusing process and high cost associated with this activity, several states have ended the practice.
In conclusion, we ask you to please Vote DO PASS HCS HB2824. Thank you for your service and leadership as Chairman.
Sincerely,
CE PROCESS:
PROCESS:
The Missouri Psychological Association does not issue APA CE credits for their events. MOPA issues its own CEs which are accepted by the MO State Committee of Psychologists and a number of other state licensure boards. If you are an out-of-state attendee and desire CE credit for this event, please contact your state’s licensure board as to whether they will accept CEs issued by our association.
Please note: this webinar will be conducted via Zoom. By registering for this webinar, you are agreeing to Zoom's privacy policy.
- We will use the Zoom login system to check to ensure you are logged in for the appropriate time throughout the webinar. To ease in processing of your CEs, please make sure you have your full first/last name listed in your Zoom login screen. Here is information on how to change your name in Zoom.
- After the webinar, please complete the following Evaluation: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KHP7JYH
- Once we confirm your attendance, we will email you a Certificate of your CE Credit via email from [email protected] -- expect this within 1-2 weeks of the conference.
The Missouri Psychological Association does not issue APA CE credits for their events. MOPA issues its own CEs which are accepted by the MO State Committee of Psychologists and a number of other state licensure boards. If you are an out-of-state attendee and desire CE credit for this event, please contact your state’s licensure board as to whether they will accept CEs issued by our association.
Please note: this webinar will be conducted via Zoom. By registering for this webinar, you are agreeing to Zoom's privacy policy.
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