Pressure on Congress to Solidify Telehealth Access Builds  

Congressional leaders have received two new letters urging them to make certain telehealth flexibilities permanent: one from legislators and another from a slew of telehealth stakeholders.

On Jan. 28, a group of 45 legislators, led by US Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), sent a letter to the leaders of the Senate and House asking them to include an extension of the telehealth authorities enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic in the "must-pass government funding legislation in February."

Specifically, the letter notes that Congress included provisions to increase access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries in previous pandemic-related legislation. The legislators are now urging Congress to extend that expanded access.

"An extension to maintain expanded coverage of Medicare telehealth services for a set period of time would provide much-needed certainty to health care providers and patients," the letter states.

The legislators noted that many organizations have been hesitant to fully invest in telehealth as the long-term plan for Medicare telehealth coverage is still up in the air.

"An extension of the telehealth authorities would provide assurance that the investments will be sustainable over the long term," the letter states. "It would also reassure patients that their care will not end abruptly."

Wicker, Schatz, and the other co-signers of the letter singled out the CONNECT for Health Act — from among the many telehealth bills that have been placed in front of Congress — as a pathway to making expanded telehealth access permanent.

The second letter, which was sent to Congressional leaders Jan. 31, was signed by 336 organizations that urged federal lawmakers undertake permanent telehealth reform. The letter was co-led by several healthcare associations, including the Alliance for Connected Care, the American Telemedicine Association, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

The organizations argue that though pandemic flexibilities for telehealth will remain in place during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the PHE determination must be renewed every 90 days, which is causing a great deal of uncertainty.

Per the letter, Congress should extend all current telehealth waivers through Dec. 31, 2024; require HHS to complete all feasible evaluations related to telehealth by fall 2023; and pass permanent telehealth legislation for implementation in 2024.

"Throughout the course of the pandemic, we have heard a chorus of support from our members related to the success they are experiencing with telehealth and its reported widespread use and support by patients," said Russell Branzell, president and CEO of CHIME in the press release. "Keeping the telehealth waivers in place through 2024 will ensure that patients and providers will not abruptly lose access to this successful care delivery method, while giving Congress additional time to work on comprehensive telehealth reform."

The push to make telehealth access more comprehensive and permanent is gaining steam. Just last week, more than 125 organizations sent a letter to Congress asking that a provision allowing pre-deductible telehealth coverage for those with high-deductible health plans coupled with Health Savings Accounts be reinstated.

Further, with numerous telehealth bills winding their way through Congress, organizations are setting up lobbying groups to help ensure permanent expanded coverage.