As discussed in a prior blog post, effective June 25, 2021, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued Executive Order 210, which officially declared the end of the New York State of Emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the New York emergency telehealth waivers have expired. These telehealth waivers had previously allowed many digital health companies and health systems to utilize certain flexibilities related to the methods of allowable telehealth technologies and the use of out-of-state providers to expand services and to cover understaffed departments.
In response to the Governor’s announcement, the New York State Department of Health (“NYS DOH”) issued guidance extending the expansion for the ability of all Medicaid providers in all situations to use a wide variety of communication methods to deliver services remotely during the remainder of the federally-declared COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”). Note that this guidance does not impact or provide additional flexibilities to non-Medicaid providers and, as discussed in our prior blog post, the New York State Education Department has only commented stating that given the expiration of the New York COVID-19 waivers, “professionals should exercise due diligence and good faith efforts to return to compliance with all Title VIII statutory and regulatory requirements without delay.”
