Congress urged to make telehealth expansion permanent

A bipartisan group of 30 senators yesterday urged congressional leaders to make permanent provisions included in previous COVID-19 legislation to expand access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries.  

"Doing so would assure patients that their care will not be interrupted when the pandemic ends," they said in a letter to Senate leaders. "It would also provide certainty to health care providers that the costs to prepare for and use telehealth would be a sound long-term investment."  

The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act and Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act authorized expanded access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 emergency by including provisions from the AHA-supported CONNECT for Health Act.

AHA has identified legislative and regulatory actions needed to maintain or extend these and other telehealth flexibilities implemented during the emergency. The actions address provider/patient location; providers and facilities eligible to deliver telehealth services; types of services; billing, payment and coverage for telehealth.