Moms In Motion echoes the comments already made by the many people that would be affected by going back to pre-pandemic processes. We stand with them to advocate on their behalf for the Virtual Visits that have been proven to work over the last 3 years. We request that DMAS support and listen to their members to maintain the virtual visit practices that were put in place during the PHE.  Members have struggled and suffered during the pandemic and providers like Moms In Motion have been able to connect with members and relieve their fears while maintaining their services using virtual methods.

Aligning with DMAS’ current initiative to address Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), DMAS Leadership needs to consider how in-person visits would impact care for those in need due to accessibility (SDOH: Health Care Access and Quality).

• “Sometimes people don’t get recommended health care services…because they live too far away from health care providers who offer them. Interventions to increase access to health care professionals and improve communication — in person or remotely — can help more people get the care they need.”
  • HHS.gov & Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion & Healthy People 2030. Social Determinants of Health & Health Care Access and Quality Objectives & Health IT & Increase the use of tele-health to improve access to health services — AHS-R02

In the past three years thousands of individuals and families have expressed their
preference for the safety of this virtual visit/tele-health option.  Here are several quotes directly from the families that receive these services:

• Everyone deserves the safety, peace, and ADA accommodation options of virtual visits.
• Virtual Visits are Mission Driven - There is no mission driven reason to jeopardize
  (members’) health by exposing (them) to … service (providers) who would be visiting
  multiple (members) each day and potentially being exposed to pathogens at close
  range. Such exposures would include persons who have chosen not to vaccinate - or
  who are unable to vaccinate.
• “… family members … passed away … due to Covid-19 ... big loss and sadness for the
  entire family which left their two young children behind. It (affected) all of us …  It is a
  nightmare and endless sadness ….. we feel much safer doing virtual visits.”
• “We strongly recommend that the department rescind the requirement for in-person
  visits because there is no way to ascertain/guarantee that an outside person (service
  provider) does not present a health risk (to a member).”
• “COVID has not disappeared and our particular community of [members] is a medically vulnerable community.  (While in-person visits) are a valuable monitoring tool, so too are virtual visits (using video conferencing). This has been a proven model over the last 3 years. There are many organizations that [members] deal with (ex. Care Coordinators, Support Coordinators, Service Facilitators, etc.), and there is no need for every organization to do their own home visit.  It simply puts our [members] at risk.  Please find a way to …  minimize the number of providers in our [members’] homes.”
• “When you stop virtual visits, you put everyone at risk for COVID and RSV and the flu and any other ailment that can end with disastrous results.”
• “… clients prefer the safety provided to their loved ones by virtual visits. The very nature of Medicaid services is to provide care for these immunocompromised individuals. These caregivers do have difficult responsibilities caring for loved ones. Trying to coordinate in person visits not only brings concern for illness introduced into their carefully guarded home but it also adds strain to the caregivers.  Please seriously consider meeting these people in their need and allowing them the option to (continue) virtual visits.”