This paper examines Oklahoma Senate Bill 674, introduced in February 2021, which aimed to expand telehealth access by ensuring equal reimbursement for telehealth visits, prohibiting coverage exclusions based on internet-based delivery, and restricting the denial of telehealth-based prescriptions. The paper situates SB 674 within the broader context of the COVID-19 pandemic's acceleration of telemedicine adoption and explores its health implications for patients, healthcare providers, and underserved populations in Oklahoma. It also considers the public and private interests served by expanded telehealth services, including cost reduction, chronic disease management, and resource utilization in a state historically challenged by rural healthcare access.
The paper demonstrates policy analysis as an academic technique: it identifies a specific piece of legislation, traces its origins and amendments, describes its key provisions, and then evaluates its real-world health and social implications using peer-reviewed and government sources. This approach shows students how to move from describing a policy to critically assessing its impact.
The paper opens with the COVID-19 context motivating telemedicine adoption, then transitions to a focused description of SB 674's provisions and stakeholders. Two analytical sections follow — one on health implications for patients and providers, another on public and private interests — before a standard references section. This funnel structure (broad context → specific legislation → implications) is well suited to health policy writing at the undergraduate level.
Many industries have had to adapt their ways of functioning in response to the new realities triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other things, the pandemic led to government mandates including the imposition of lockdowns and limitations on face-to-face interactions to prevent the spread of the virus. Industries that offer face-to-face services, including healthcare, were significantly impacted (Lee and Lee, 2021). As a result, these industries were compelled to adopt new digital functions to replace in-person interaction, and both new and existing digital tools improved considerably. One of the digital applications adapted during this period was telehealth and telemedicine (Lee and Lee, 2021).
Many states, organizations, and private clinics integrated telehealth medicine into their practice as a primary means of providing online services. According to Jasper (2020), telehealth medicine is an innovative method of delivering care through mobile devices and computers that reduces person-to-person contact and thus limits the spread of COVID-19. Oklahoma, however, had been using telehealth for a significant period before COVID-19 in order to meet the needs of patients with limited access to healthcare services owing to their socioeconomic and physiological circumstances. The state subsequently expanded its use of telehealth during the COVID-19 emergency in response to increased demand for remote healthcare. According to Lee and Lee (2021), this expansion led regulatory bodies and officials to re-evaluate existing laws and policies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020) notes that policy and legal resources governing telehealth are essential in healthcare, as they contribute to improved health outcomes in underserved communities.
Senate Bill 674 was introduced by Representative McEntire and Senator McCortney in February 2021. The aim of this bill was to expand access to telehealth by ensuring that telehealth visits are medically appropriate, receive equal reimbursement from providers, and are valued the same as in-person visits (Fair and Equal Access to Telehealth Services, 2021). In Oklahoma, the bill helped address the challenges created by COVID-19 pandemic mandates. It was later amended to provide permanent telehealth access. Following the amendment, the bill prohibited insurers from excluding or denying coverage solely on the basis that services are delivered via the internet rather than through face-to-face interaction. It also prohibited any insurer in Oklahoma from restricting medical prescriptions on the basis that they were ordered during or after a telehealth visit.
Beyond its primary sponsors, a number of key stakeholders supported Senate Bill 674. These included, but were not limited to, the Budget Subcommittee on Health, the Chair of House Appropriations, healthcare coverage plans and insurers, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the American Telemedicine Association, and the American Medical Association. Patients as recipients of telehealth services, healthcare systems, specialists and primary care providers, physicians, and technology solution providers were also part of the stakeholder group that supported the bill's amendment (Measure Providing Telehealth Parity Signed into Law, 2021).
There are several potential benefits of telehealth services in healthcare. For instance, expanding telehealth helps provide individualized care that is cost-effective and allows healthcare providers to prioritize care delivery so that patients receive the most appropriate treatment. In Oklahoma, expansion of telehealth services is a particular necessity given the shortage of healthcare providers, which creates significant challenges for patients residing in rural areas. Consequently, expanding telehealth in Oklahoma would ease access to routine and specialized care while reducing healthcare costs associated with regular in-person visits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), telehealth services are important in public health because they have the potential to save billions in healthcare expenditures. Telehealth also strengthens the relationship between healthcare providers and patients, increases the prevalence of standardized and recognized care practices, and — when incorporated as a public health tool — increases access to healthcare services for underserved populations.
Beyond providing additional medical options, telehealth visits are expected to improve healthcare and social outcomes for Oklahomans (Measure Providing Telehealth Parity Signed into Law, 2021). Access to telehealth services contributes to more frequent follow-ups, which aids in the management of both chronic and acute conditions. In addition, telehealth visits improve communication between healthcare providers and patients, increasing patients' compliance with preventive strategies, adherence to screening recommendations, and overall treatment adherence.
With regard to healthcare providers, access to telehealth services in public health offers a broader range of care options. Expanding telehealth enables providers to exercise greater discretion when determining the most appropriate level of care for each patient. This is especially significant given that telehealth reduces wait times caused by the volume of appointments in face-to-face settings. In addition, telehealth expansion supports more holistic and coordinated care. It also helps ensure that healthcare providers can avoid denials or delayed approvals in the provision of telehealth services — an ongoing concern given that telehealth claims often require a stringent review process (Fair and Equal Access to Telehealth Services, 2021). Furthermore, most healthcare providers currently do not receive reimbursements for services provided through telehealth. Expanding telehealth access under SB 674 would therefore help ensure that providers receive equal reimbursement for their services (Fair and Equal Access to Telehealth Services, 2021).
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.