I am the Chief Medical Officer of the Johnson Health Center, a federally qualified health center located in Lynchburg – with 9 clinics serving over 22,000 patients. We provide adult medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology as well as Behavioral Health and Dental services – accounting for over 65,000 visits per year. More than 95% of our patients are at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline. A substantial number of these patients are Medicaid beneficiaries and we are constantly looking for ways to improve services to all of our patients.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to comment on Virginia’s 2019 Update Regarding DMAS Coverage of Telemedicine and Telehealth as well as request coverage for some additional services – which will allow us to serve Medicaid beneficiaries and our more vulnerable patients more effectively. I use the term “us” to not only refer to the Johnson Health Center but also to the 25 other FQHCs in the state of Virginia as well as other clinics who serve Medicaid beneficiaries and vulnerable populations in general.

I have submitted a more substantial document directly to DMAS - outlining the requests as well as the supporting data. I am happy to participate in any work group or committee, established to investigate these recommendations.

I encourage anyone who is reading this post and who feels passionately about improving services to vulnerable Virginians to join me in working with DMAS in their efforts to tackle this critical area of provision of healthcare.

Looking forward to a response from the DMAS team and thanking them for this opportunity.

Dr Kadree

Chief Medical Officer,

Johnson Health Center

Serving Lynchburg, Rustburg, Bedford