AHA Says Senate Should Codify Virtual Mental Health in Telehealth

As the Senate Finance Committee works to establish telehealth regulations, the American Hospital Association (AHA) provided feedback aimed to optimize the expansion of virtual mental health services.

The last several years have demonstrated the increasing need for mental health services before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, about 21 percent of US adults say they have experienced mental disorders.

To battle this issue, representatives from AHA sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee, providing input regarding how to optimize telehealth. The letter spoke on behalf of 5,000 hospitals, 270,000 physicians, and 2 million nurses, many of whom treat mental health conditions.

The letter addressed necessary actions to take if the Committee were to revoke an in-person visit requirement. AHA proposed that if a provider is able to offer in-person services on the same day as a telehealth visit or if the provider can direct the patient to someone who can do this, then the Committee should alter its language.

AHA also encouraged the optimization of overall communication between telemental health practitioners and primary care providers (PCP) and that the implementation of the proposed guidelines will only occur if the patient offers both sets of contact information.

In general, AHA said it favors Medicare beneficiaries engaging in audio-only telehealth and eliminating initial in-person visits. This is primarily inspired by struggles that many people face when obtaining necessary technology and traveling to clinical locations.

These beliefs coexist with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), defining over 6,000 areas mental health provider shortage areas, affecting upwards of one-third of Americans.

AHA is known for its beliefs in the expansion of telehealth.

In December 2021, 16 healthcare organizations including AHA, created a campaign that sought to retain telehealth services following the COVID-19 pandemic. Known as Telehealth Access for America, the program centered its goals around public education on the impact of telehealth and how it will impact healthcare post-pandemic.

In March 2022, AHA submitted a request to Congress that aimed to increase COVID-19 financial support. In the letter, AHA acknowledged the various benefits that Congress has been conducive to in the past.

However, it also stated that the Delta and Omicron variants led to many healthcare providers experiencing financial instability. The letter requested services such as direct relief for healthcare providers, the suspension of repayments for six months, and the preservation of telehealth and hospital at-home waivers enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.