AHA urges Congress to expand access to mental health telehealth services

Commenting yesterday on draft legislation to expand access to mental health services through telehealth, AHA told the Senate Finance Committee it supports allowing Medicare patients to receive audio-only telehealth services and telehealth services without a prior in-person visit, and expanding the types of providers who can deliver and bill for telehealth services. The association also urged Congress to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities allowed during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

“The pandemic has shown that many patients can benefit from receiving care through telehealth. We appreciate provisions in this draft which would help expand access to mental health services via telehealth for patients,” AHA wrote.