Scores join Congress’ calls to expand telehealth flexibility
Once again, healthcare industry organizations are calling on congressional leaders to extend telehealth flexibility beyond the Dec. 31 deadline, citing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-Y, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell requests. , R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to take action before the end of the year.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Companies from athenahealth to Zoom, along with major healthcare systems like Cleveland Clinic and UCHealth, are asking for a two-year extension of telehealth flexibility.
“The Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have already issued a temporary rule that extends current policy flexibility regarding prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine through the end of 2025,” the signatories said in their report. letteralong with more than 60 of their colleagues, on Tuesday.
HIMSS, parent company of Healthcare IT news has also organized two efforts. A Open Through December 11, organizations supported by the Alliance for Connected Care, American Telemedicine Association, ATA Action, the Connected Health Initiative, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, the Health Innovation Alliance and the Partnership to Advance Virtual Care will ask organizations to join a call asking lawmakers to extend telehealth for at least a year or more.
“Patients and practitioners alike want assurance that services will continue without interruption beyond the statutory deadline of December 31, 2024. Improved access to telehealth services serves as a lifeline for patients across the country, allowing patients to access critical healthcare services even as they don’t have that. barriers to accessing in-person care, such as a weakened immune system, transportation challenges, geographic distance and more,” they said in the letter.
In a previous HIMSS Legislative Action Center campaign for the organization’s members, the organization said more than 1,000 letters were sent. That campaign asked lawmakers for a two-year extension.
ATA, which is leading a charge to secure access to telehealth in the post-pandemic era, said Healthcare IT news by email Wednesday that with 27 days to go, now is the time for Congress to act.
“The ball is squarely in Congress’s court,” Kyle Zebley, ATA senior vice president of public policy and executive director of ATA Action, said in a statement.
THE BIG TREND
Last month, following the 2024 election, ATA said it expects bipartisan support for telehealth and virtual care services to continue through the final days of the Biden administration and the transition to the Trump administration on January 20, 2025.
ATA and ATA Action were quick to remind lawmakers to be ready for the telehealth flexibility deadline.
“It is our sincere hope that congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle will move quickly to advance a bill expanding telehealth flexibility and send it to President Biden’s desk for signature before the end of the year to send,” Zebley had insisted.
ON THE RECORD
“By addressing persistent uncertainties surrounding access to telehealth, including through Medicare and tax policy, policymakers can ensure the uninterrupted delivery of safe, convenient, and timely virtual care services, support overburdened healthcare providers, and deliver clinically appropriate care to millions of patients in need,” Zebley said in a statement.
“HIMSS strongly supports extending and ultimately making the telehealth waiver permanent,” the nonprofit said in a statement Thursday. “Eliminating four years of improved access to care that has been shown to be valuable for patient safety, prevention and outcomes management is irresponsible policy and sets us back on the digital health transformation the US has begun. Nobody wants to go backwards.”
This article was updated on December 5, 2024 with a new statement from HIMSS.
Andrea Fox is editor-in-chief of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.