New Bill Seeks Nationwide Medicare Coverage for Asynchronous Telehealth Services

A Montana Congressman wants to improve rural healthcare access by ensuring Medicare coverage for asynchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth programs throughout the country.

The Rural Telehealth Expansion Act, introduced last week by US Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), would lend credence to a platform that is growing in popularity, particularly in direct-to-consumer telehealth services. Asynchronous platforms allow the patient and provider to connect on their own time (rather than in real time), sharing images, data and messages in a secure portal.  

The modality is especially valuable in rural and remote regions of the country where the broadband connectivity needed to conduct real-time audio-visual telehealth visits is unreliable or non-existent. Some states have moved to cover the modality in recent months, but the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services still limit Medicare coverage to Alaska and Hawaii.

“COVID-19 has revealed the importance of allowing citizens to utilize telehealth services to the fullest,” Rosendale said in a press release. “This legislation is a common-sense reform to expand access and to strengthen telehealth options as a whole.”

Asynchronous platforms often begin with an online portal or even a telephone call, with patients asked to fill out a questionnaire or survey that described their reason for accessing care. That questionnaire can include images, video and other data, and is either sent to a care provider or placed in a location that the care provider can access online. The provider then reviews that data, develops a diagnosis and sends a message back to the patient with a treatment plan, a request for more information or directions to call or seek in-person treatment.