Topic: COVID-19 and Therapy

[ramilove]

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid waste to much of my support network that I set up for my transition right after I started on HRT. My support group at the LGBTQ center is suspended. I do not want to risk a visit to a crowded clinic so I have been canceling my appointments. My yoga studio closed along with my gym. I have sent a message to my gender therapist requesting that we do our sessions via tele-medicine. I guess now I get to see how our system of medical can adapt.
Rami   

[Maddie]

Hello from the wasteland, Rami!

Sounds reasonable that a therapist would be willing to provide telemedicine, considering..

[Battle Goddess]

Hello from the wasteland, Rami!

Sounds reasonable that a therapist would be willing to provide telemedicine, considering..

Yup. Happening right now.

Medicare/Medicaid is trying to go as much tele as it can, effective immediately.

My therapist friends are all scrambling to get trained on HIPAA-compliant tele platforms, and the platforms themselves are scrambling to add capacity because they're starting to get bogged down by all the new demand.

[AnonyMs]

The rules on HIPPA compliance have just been changed to allow previously non compliant platforms.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/17/administration-expands-telemedicine-for-medicare-and-encourages-health-plans-to-boost-offerings/

There’s more if you search.

[sarahc]

The rules on HIPPA compliance have just been changed to allow previously non compliant platforms.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/17/administration-expands-telemedicine-for-medicare-and-encourages-health-plans-to-boost-offerings/

There’s more if you search.

That’s good news on the HIPAA waiver. Really good decision by the regulator. Much easier for a therapist to set up a Zoom or Google video if the client agrees to it.

My therapist reached out to me today to say she is going virtual indefinitely. She offered a phone call if I preferred that but I’m comfortable with video.

Sarah

[Battle Goddess]

The rules on HIPPA compliance have just been changed to allow previously non compliant platforms.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/17/administration-expands-telemedicine-for-medicare-and-encourages-health-plans-to-boost-offerings/

There’s more if you search.

I guess the deal is that so far the Feds have waived it for MediX because they have regulatory power over those.

Not sure what unique, tangled dance each private insurance company will have to do in each of the states they do business.