All we read about is PPACA. But rest assured there are other threats to the benefits business.
One such threat has emerged in the unlikeliest of places — Texas — where a quiet, but pitched, battle rages on over the future of telemedicine.
After the American Medical Association last year released a formal telemedicine policy requiring that physicians meet with patients personally before engaging in any remote diagnosis and/or treatment, the Texas Medical Board decided to follow suit.
"We believe that a patient-physician relationship must be established to ensure proper diagnoses and appropriate follow up care," AMA President Dr. Robert M. Wah said in a statement at the time. "This new policy establishes a foundation for physicians to utilize telemedicine to help maintain an ongoing relationship with their patients, and as a means to enhance follow-up care, better coordinate care and manage chronic conditions."
"Now after over a decade of this being offered in Texas and over 8 million members with one vendor I work with and zero malpractice claims, it is being threatened," worries broker Tanya Boyd. "It makes no sense to me as other states are trying to implement more. I could go on and on about the stories from clients because they're truly endless."
