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Table of Contents
Telemental / Telehealth Health Regulation in Michigan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

https://www.onlinetherapy.com

I. What are the licensure requirements in Michigan for telehealth mental health care?

Michigan’s licensure requirements, which are comparable to other states, include a mandate for any health care provider to obtain a license to practice in the state before providing you with medical care. This includes telehealth and telemental services. Michigan joined an interstate licensure compact to expedite this process.

Requirements for out-of-state treatment

Michigan law requires that out-of-state health care professionals must be licensed in the state of Michigan before providing you with telehealth services. Fortunately, Michigan recently joined the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), which expedites the licensure process, so it’s easier for out-of-state practitioners, such as psychiatrists and therapists to provide you with telehealth services.

Emergency licensure

Michigan regulations allow medical professionals to render aid during a disaster without requiring a license to practice in the state. Executive order No. 2020-86, which was issued at the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency and will remain in effect until the declaration of the end of the health emergency, extends this exemption to out-of-state providers. The state also created temporary waivers for out-of-the-country medical personnel who meet specific requirements to practice instate.

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II. What are the online prescribing regulations in Michigan?

Michigan law does allow online prescribing through telehealth, but with many restrictions. The prescribing physician must deem the medication medically necessary and refer you to another health care provider in your geographic location or to emergency services for follow-up care. Regulations for online prescribing don’t require an in-person visit to establish the doctor-patient relationship. To prescribe controlled substances, the health care provider must establish a bona fide doctor-patient relationship, which includes a review of medical records and numerous additional specifications. The COVID-19 health emergency has caused the suspension of many of these restrictions and has even led to permanent changes to accepted originating sites resulting from new legislation.

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III. What are other common telehealth restrictions in Michigan?

Michigan law allows telehealth appointments to be conducted over HIPAA-secure audio-only methods of communication in addition to live, two-way audio and video interactive conferencing. Store-and-forward and remote monitoring services weren’t permitted until the implementation of the COVID-19 emergency provisions.

Types of telehealth services allowed

Michigan law allows for the reimbursement of health care services provided via HIPAA-secure, real-time interactive telecommunication through audio, video, or a combination of both means.  The law specifies that insurers may not require in-person contact with your doctor for reimbursement of services but that you must have the ability to interact virtually with the health care provider. Michigan’s definition of reimbursable telehealth appointments excludes store-and-forward services and remote monitoring but does include audio-only telephone communication. Originating sites were previously restricted for Medicaid services until recently passed legislation expanded accepted sites to now include your home.

Types of providers allowed to offer telehealth services

Michigan doesn’t have a specific list of provider types that are authorized to provide telehealth services, except that providers must be authorized, certified, or licensed to practice in the state.

Emergency allowances

Executive order No. 2020-86 expanded telehealth services in Michigan in the following ways:

  • Store-and-forward services are permitted
  • Remote monitoring is permitted
  • Any requirements for in-person visits to establish the doctor-patient relationship are suspended
  • Any requirements for in-person examinations before issuing prescriptions for controlled substances are suspended, except for prescriptions of methadone
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IV. Telehealth provider resources in Michigan

The following resources can provide you with additional information regarding regulations in Michigan that affect access to telehealth services, including updates about COVID-19.

Michigan Department of Health & Human Services

The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services offers information about health-related topics, such as pediatric telemedicine, COVID-19, and Medicaid. The agency also manages a program entitled Michigan Bridges. Michigan Bridges provides a streamlined application process for you to gain access to benefits such as health care coverage, state emergency relief, and cash assistance.

Contact Information: Website | 517-241-3740

Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services

You can access a variety of health care information at the DIFS, including COVID-19 insurance information, Michigan’s insurance marketplace, and Medicare and Medicaid guidelines.

Contact Information: Website | 877-999-6442

The Office of the Governor

You can stay updated about COVID-19 emergency provisions and be informed about how they may affect your access to telehealth services through the Office of the Governor.

Contact Information: Website | 517-373-3400

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author-img
Caitlin Kingston
LCSW

Caitlin Kingston is a licensed clinical social worker at Yale New Haven Hospital and has worked in the field since 2013. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State University and her Master of Social Work, clinical/medical social work in 2020 from Fordham University. Her licenses and certifications include LCSW, LMSW, and CASAC.

Kingston has always had a passion for helping others and knew early on that she wanted to support others in her profession. During her undergraduate studies at Penn State, she met a social worker who inspired her to pursue a career as a therapist. She’s also trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy with the New York School for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Kingston completed internships working in an after-school program with underprivileged youth and their families and with inmates in the high-security sector of Rikers Island jail.

Kingston’s career has included work at a drug treatment center, where she became the supervisor of intake and assessment for individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders. Today, she’s a social worker in the Psychiatric Observation Unit of the emergency department. Kingston is also trained in perinatal mental health with a focus on helping new mothers adjust to motherhood, especially in these very difficult times of isolation.

author-img
Caitlin Kingston
LCSW

Caitlin Kingston is a licensed clinical social worker at Yale New Haven Hospital and has worked in the field since 2013. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State University and her Master of Social Work, clinical/medical social work in 2020 from Fordham University. Her licenses and certifications include LCSW, LMSW, and CASAC.

Kingston has always had a passion for helping others and knew early on that she wanted to support others in her profession. During her undergraduate studies at Penn State, she met a social worker who inspired her to pursue a career as a therapist. She’s also trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy with the New York School for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Kingston completed internships working in an after-school program with underprivileged youth and their families and with inmates in the high-security sector of Rikers Island jail.

Kingston’s career has included work at a drug treatment center, where she became the supervisor of intake and assessment for individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders. Today, she’s a social worker in the Psychiatric Observation Unit of the emergency department. Kingston is also trained in perinatal mental health with a focus on helping new mothers adjust to motherhood, especially in these very difficult times of isolation.

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V. Sources

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