Matt Lesser

State Senator Matt Lesser Hosts Oversight Hearing on Current State of Telehealth Services

HARTFORD, Conn. – This morning, Insurance & Real Estate Committee Co-chairs Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) and Sean Scanlon (D-Guilford) discussed issues related to insurance coverage of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hearing featured three panels comprised of representatives from the Connecticut Insurance Department, health care providers and insurance companies.

“The legislature has been conducting oversight information throughout the crisis,” said Sen. Lesser. “This is the first formal committee oversight hearing the General Assembly has held, to our knowledge, since the beginning of the pandemic. Oversight by the legislature is more important than ever, even as we use technology to conduct hearings safely and remotely. One of the critical parts of oversight is transparency. Today is the first informational hearing that the public will be able to see and I think that’s really critical.”

During the coronavirus crisis in the state, many changes have been implemented to keep residents of Connecticut safe including the practice of medicine. The Insurance Department spent a lot of time working with legislature, state agencies, providers and insurance carriers on telemedicine. The Department of Public Health waived several requirements in order to be able to provide audio and visual communication between providers and patients. Telehealth has played a huge role beginning in the middle of March following the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Providers have been able to stay HIPAA compliant while providing reliable treatment through these platforms.

“The delivery of healthcare has changed overnight,” said Sen. Lesser. “The transition from person visits to telehealth has transformed healthcare across Connecticut and the Country. Good things were worked on to implement this new way of care.

Teleheath has been proven to be an essential tool during the coronavirus crisis and it will continue to be a tool for doctors and providers to use in the future if needed.