Amerigroup Texas is now offering the state’s Medicaid consumers the option to access medical and behavioral health care providers through telehealth visits at no cost. On August 1, the company launched a new Medicaid benefit that allows eligible consumers to log into LiveHealth Online, a service powered by American Well, through a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a webcam, to visit with board-certified doctors, licensed therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Because this telehealth option is being extended as a benefit, eligible Amerigroup Medicaid consumers do not need to pay a fee to see health care providers via LiveHealth Online.
“By making LiveHealth Online available at no cost to Amerigroup Texas Medicaid consumers, we are not only redefining what’s possible in health care, but we are empowering individuals and families to improve their health outcomes,” said Amerigroup Texas President Patrick Sturdivant. “LiveHealth Online provides new opportunities to access doctors and specialists that may once have been out of reach, and it removes barriers that may have prevented individuals from accessing the care they need, when they need it.”
The American Well LiveHealth Online video sessions offer a private, secure alternative for accessing non-emergency medical care, and the service is offered in both English and Spanish. It is a convenient way to get quality care for common health conditions like coughs, colds, sprains, strains, and other non-emergency or non-life-threatening issues. It also expands options for accessing behavioral health resources, which may be hard for Medicaid patients to find or access. If needed, the telehealth providers can also send prescriptions directly to a consumer’s pharmacy of choice. After each LiveHealth Online session, a summary of the visit is created and can be forwarded by the patient to their primary care doctor in order to support continuity of care and collaboration among health care providers.
“Amerigroup’s rollout of LiveHealth Online is significant for Texas Medicaid consumers,” said Dr. Cealee Thomas, Amerigroup Texas Medical Director. “This benefit empowers those who cannot access transportation or may have mobility challenges, as well as those who are experiencing non-emergency or non-life-threatening issues late in the evening, over the weekend, or during a holiday when the only other option is seeking care in an emergency room. It is a solution when people have to shelter in place or when they have been displaced in times of crisis. Also, this benefit comes without having to worry about out-of-pocket costs or unexpected medical bills.”
Read the full press release here.