ICYMI: Bipartisan, Bicameral Group Of 100 Lawmakers Rally In Support of Extension Of Telehealth Flexibilities
Letter to Leadership Calls for Extension of Current Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities Before Year’s End
In case you missed it, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) rallied 100 lawmakers from both parties and congressional chambers to pen a letter to U.S. Senate and House leadership calling for urgent protections of Medicare telehealth flexibilities. The letter, sent last week, underscored the urgency to meet the December 31 expiration deadline and called for an extension of current telehealth protections in the year-end appropriations package.
“As you work to advance a year-end appropriations package, we urge you to extend coverage as much as possible so that all Medicare beneficiaries retain access to these services. Telehealth plays a critical role in health care delivery – a fact that Congress has recognized by expanding coverage during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency,” the letter begins.
The letter goes on to note several provisions lawmakers would like to see included, with the goal of preventing a coverage gap for the millions of Medicare beneficiaries who rely upon telehealth services, and highlights the many benefits of access to virtual care. “Telehealth provides essential access to care and improves outcomes, including reduced emergency department utilization and improved medication adherence. Medicare beneficiaries have come to rely on expanded access to telehealth services and are satisfied with the care they receive,” the letter writes.
Lawmakers end with a call to action to their colleagues: “While there is overwhelming support for Congress to enact permanent telehealth legislation, we must provide patients and clinicians with long-term certainty to support continued investment in technology and clinical models to meet the evolving health care needs of Medicare beneficiaries. We appreciate your collaboration and leadership on this issue and look forward to working with you to ensure access to telehealth services is retained by the end of 2024.”
In response to the letter, Alye Mlinar, executive director of Telehealth Access for America, said, “This letter is yet another example of the overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress to protect patient access to virtual care, and we thank the many members who have supported these efforts. Millions of patients rely on Medicare telehealth flexibilities and need Congress to act ahead of the end-of-year expiration to keep access to virtual care. The health care community, especially consumer and patient advocates, is eager for lawmakers to provide the certainty needed to unlock telehealth’s full potential.”
Read the full letter HERE and the senators’ press release on the letter HERE.
ABOUT TELEHEALTH ACCESS FOR AMERICA
Telehealth Access for America (TAFA) is a public education campaign supported by leaders in health care committed to better care, expanded patient choice, and protecting access to critical telehealth services.
Learn more at www.telehealthaccessforamerica.org.