Telehealth Essentials for Sexual + Reproductive Health Care

The national coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis has fast-tracked significant transformations in our health care delivery system, including a necessary shift toward providing time-sensitive services through telehealth. Essential Access Health has compiled the following resources to support health providers in the delivery of quality family planning and STD testing and treatment through telehealth modalities. This page will continue to be updated as additional resources become available.

• Federal Guidance + COVID-19 Policy
• California Guidance + COVID-19 Policy
• Clinical Guidelines + Recommendations
• Billing + Reimbursement
• Clinic Operations + Telehealth Platforms
• Training Opportunities
• Quick Guides + Toolkits
• Technical Assistance
• Funding Opportunities

Federal Guidance + COVID-19 Policy

• Guidance for Title X Providers from the Office of Population Affairs:
  • FAQs for Title X Grantees
  • COVID-19 Related Questions for Title X Grantees
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
  • The Use of Telehealth and Telemedicine in Public Health
  • Toolkit for Technology-based STD + HIV Partner Services
  • Data Security + Confidentiality Guidelines
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:
  • CMS Telehealth Medicaid Fact Sheet
  • FAQs on Telehealth Services through Private Health Insurance Coverage
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
  • Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications (COVID-19)
  • FAQs on Telehealth + HIPAA During COVID-19

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California State Guidance + COVID-19 Policy

• CA Department of Health Care Services:
  • Guidance for FPACT Virtual/Telephonic Communications​ (March 26, 2020)
  • Guidance for Family PACT Providers, including Telephonic Client Enrollment and Re-certification (Updated Mar 26, 2020)
  • Medi-Cal Payment for Telehealth and Virtual/Telephonic Communications Relative to COVID-19 (June 23, 2020)
  • Follow Up Guidance: Medi-Cal Applications + Recertification via Telephone (April 10, 2020)
  • Emergency Telehealth Guidance to Medi-Cal Manage Care Plans - COVID 19 (March 18, 2020)
  • Medi-Cal Payment for Medical Services Related to the 2019-Novel Coronavirus (March 16, 2020)
  • Requirements and Procedures for Emergency Medi-Cal Provider Enrollment 
  • Family PACT Provider + Client FAQ during COVID-19
  • Direct-to-Patient Dispensing of Subcutaneous Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA-SQ)
• CA Department Managed Health Care: All Plan Letter Regarding Reimbursement for Telehealth Services (March 18, 2020)
• CA Office of the Governor: Executive Order Expanding Telehealth Services via Videochat + Applications Without Risk of Penalty
• DHCS: Remote Medi-Cal Enrollment + Re-Certification, Including Minor Consent During COVID-19
• California Healthcare Foundation: The State of Telehealth in Medi-Cal Managed Care: Taking Stock in the Era of COVID-19 (PDF)
• NHELP Fact Sheet: Telehealth Guidance for California Private Plans During the COVID-19 Emergency

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Clinical Guidelines + Recommendations

• ASCCP: Interim Guidance for Timing of Diagnostic + Treatment Procedures for Patients with Abnormal Cervical Screening Tests
• CDC: Dear Colleague Letter Regarding STD Treatment Options + Covid-19
• Essential Access Health Learning Exchange: Family Planning Clinic Preparedness for COVID-19
• Family Planning National Training Center: What Family Planning Providers Can Do to Meet Client Needs During COVID-19
• UCSF: Contraceptive Care During Covid-19

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Billing + Reimbursement

• National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association: Initiating Telehealth in Response to COVID-19: Coding and Billing for Telehealth Services
• CA Department of Health Care Services: Medi-Cal Payment for Medical Services Related to the 2019-Novel Coronavirus (March 16, 2020)
• California Telehealth Resource Center: Telehealth Reimbursement Guide
• Center for Connected Health Policy:
  • Telehealth Coverage in the Time of COVID-19
  • Current State Laws and Reimbursement Policies
  • Comprehensive Scan of State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies
• National Health Law Program: Overview on Using Medicaid to Respond to COVID-19
• UCSF: Contraceptive Care During Covid-19
• Telehealth Coding COVID-19 Guide
• CPCA: Telehealth + Telephonic Payment & Billing Cheat Sheet (May 8, 2020)

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Clinic Operations + Telehealth Platforms

• CDC: Dear Colleague Letter Regarding STD Treatment Options + Covid-19
• Family Planning National Training Center:
  • What Family Planning Providers Can Do to Meet Client Needs During COVID-19
  • In-Person + Virtual Visits During COVID-19: A Decision-Making Guide for Staff
• California Telehealth Resource Center:
  • Sample Workflows, Consent Documents and Best Practices for Implementation of Telehealth
  • Sample Forms and Guidelines
• Care Innovations: Telehealth During COVID-19 – FQHC Workflows and Guides
• NFPRHA Resource: Self-Administration of Injectable Contraception
• UCSF: Contraceptive Care During Covid-19
• Reproductive Health Access Project: E-Visit Template for Contraception
• Telehealth Platform Roundup

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Training Opportunities

• Essential Access Health Learning Exchange:
  • Family Planning Clinic Preparedness for COVID-19
  • Contraceptive Care During COVID-19: Overcoming Challenges + Optimizing Opportunities (Zoom Recording)
  • The Impact of Evolving Telemedicine Regulations on Family Planning Services in CA
  • A Mini-Guide to Contraceptive Care During COVID-19
• California Telehealth Resource Center: Telehealth Implementation Workshop
• National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers: Telehealth and COVID-19

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Quick Guides + Toolkits

• Family Planning National Training Center:
  • What Family Planning Providers Can Do to Meet Client Needs During COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Telehealth Toolkit
  • COVID-19 Family Planning Social Media Toolkit
• National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association: Initiating Telehealth in Response to COVID-19: Initial Considerations and Resources
• American Medical Association: Quick Guide to Telemedicine Practice

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Technical Assistance

• National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Center: Free Telehealth Technical Assistance

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Funding Opportunities

• California Health Facilities Financing Authority: COVID-19 Emergency HELP Loan Program
• FCC: New $200 Million Grant Program for COVID-19 Telehealth Activities

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Contact us to learn more about providing family planning and related services through telehealth.