ATA Displays Gratitude for the Expansion of PHE Flexibilities

The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) and ATA Action said it strongly supports the expansion of public health emergency (PHE) flexibilities sponsored by US Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Liz Cheney (R-WY).

The ATA centers its efforts around expanding telehealth and ensuring that it occurs in a safe, affordable, and accessible manner. ATA Action is an affiliated trade organization of the ATA that gains its motivation from the belief that telehealth can transform healthcare.

In July 2022, US Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Liz Cheney (R-WY) sponsored a bipartisan bill intended to eliminate telehealth prerequisites determined by geography and provide a more widespread selection of originating sites for telehealth.

The bill also plans to expand eligible practitioners, enhance telehealth coverage and reimbursement for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Centers, supply audio-only services, postpone in-person requirements, and the implementation of telehealth to provide for Medicare hospice services.

Although the ATA and ATA Action strongly favor this bill, the organizations are seeking two separate provisions, they wrote in a letter sent to mHealthIntelligence.“While the draft bill meets so many of our shared objectives, the ATA and ATA Action are asking members of the U.S. House to include other vital priorities, such as an extension of the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and Health Savings Account (HSA) telehealth tax provision, and the Ryan Haight Act in-person waiver for the remote prescription of controlled substances, for the same two year extension as the other provisions,” said Kyle Zebley, vice president, public policy, the ATA, and executive director, ATA Action.

“The ATA and ATA Action urge Congress to pass this bill with our suggested amendments,” continued Zebley.

The ATA has worked the past two years to etain telehealth during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In October 2021, ATA submitted a request to the Biden Administration seeking the retention of connected health services for an extended period of time. ATA said there were uncertainties associated with telehealth policies, leaving organizations in an uncomfortable and unstable position. 

In March 2022, Congress introduced an omnibus spending bill that sought to expand telehealth for Medicare patients, specifically by removing geographic requirements and increasing the prevalence of providers who can use telehealth, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists.

Initially, the bill intended to remain active for at least five months following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the ATA is in favor of the content of the bill, the organization continued to express its belief that it should not have a timeline and must remain active indefinitely.