In a letter submitted to the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health for a hearing Nov. 14, the AHA expressed support for the CONNECT Act (S.2016/H.R. 4189) and urged Congress to allow Medicare beneficiaries to access telehealth services wherever they and their providers are and allow rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers and critical access hospitals to serve as […]
AHA on Oct. 10 voiced support for the CONNECT for Health Act (S. 2016/H.R. 4189), legislation that would increase patient access to telehealth services while removing barriers to adoption. The bill would permanently remove geographic restrictions that limit where patients can access telehealth, add homes and other clinically appropriate originating sites, and allow rural health […]
Telehealth changes that helped physicians and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic could become permanent under a new bill pending in Congress. Meanwhile, another leading physician group is supporting site-neutral payment for medical services. The two issues have sparked renewed discussion this month due to proposals by federal policy makers. CONNECT in Congress A bipartisan group of 60 […]
Dive Brief: Dive Insight: Permanently expanding telemedicine access has broad bipartisan support in Congress. A number of bills have been introduced to codify more telehealth protections after COVID-19, including CONNECT, which is considered the most comprehensive virtual care legislation by advocacy groups. Since CONNECT was first introduced in 2016, a number of the bill’s original provisions have […]
What’s the news: A bipartisan group of 60 senators has reintroduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. The CONNECT for Health Act, S. 2016, will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect […]
June 16, 2023 – In support of continued telehealth access, a bipartisan group of 60 United States senators reintroduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act to expand Medicare coverage of telehealth, sustain virtual care flexibilities, enhance health outcomes, and ease healthcare communication. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the efficacy of telehealth. Greater […]
The CONNECT For Health Act has been filed again in both the Senate and House, and supporters say the groundswell for expanded telehealth coverage and services could finally give the bill the momentum it needs for passage. KEY TAKEAWAYS The CONNECT for Health Act, first introduced in 2016, aims to expand oportunities and coverage for […]
Despite numerous bills to solidify telehealth flexibilities enacted during the pandemic, none have passed in Congress, leaving the future of telehealth access and adoption uncertain. By Anuja Vaidya June 20, 2022 – The significant spike in the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic was made possible by numerous legislative waivers that were quickly enacted as in-person care […]
COVID-19 has led to dramatic increases in adoption of telehealth by both physicians and patients. Policymakers should seize the opportunity to make permanent policy that supports many of these advancements beyond the pandemic. Why telehealth is important In the March 15, 2022, episode of Moving Medicine, AMA Chief Experience Officer Todd Unger discusses the importance of […]
A bipartisan group of 45 elected officials asked congressional leadership to include a short-term extension of Medicare services in government funding legislation. By Kat Jercich January 31, 2022 02:54 PM Dozens of U.S. senators and representatives urged congressional leadership this past Friday to safeguard Medicare telehealth services. Led by Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the United States, states, payers, and providers are looking for ways to expand access to telehealth services. Telehealth is an essential tool in ensuring patients are able to access the healthcare services they need in as safe a manner as possible. In order to provide our clients with quick […]
The Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act would amend HIPAA and the Affordable Care Act to allow employers to offer standalone telehealth service programs – not unlike dental and vision plans – in addition to existing health insurance plans. By Mike Miliard March 31, 2022 The House of Representatives has drafted a bill that would […]
Numerous telehealth bills are winding their way through Congress, and while they appear to have solid, bipartisan support, there are some key factors that could hold back their passage. January 17, 2022 – Though telehealth usage has both dipped and grown at various points over the last year, it is expected to remain a key part of care delivery […]
A bill introduced in the Senate aims to extend CMS‘ Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver for two years after the COVID-19 public health emergency reaches an end. By Mark Melchionna March 11, 2022 – Sens. Tom Carper (D-Delaware) and Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) introduced a bill called the Hospital Inpatient Services Act that allows for a two-year extension of […]