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Congress Urged to Extend and Improve Medicare Telehealth Provisions
Key Policies for Enhancing Telehealth Services for Medicare Patients
According to Public News Service, Congress needs to act fast and make smart decisions about Medicare telehealth services. During the COVID-19 pandemic telehealth became a crucial part of health care. However, the special rules that allowed telehealth for Medicare patients are set to expire at the end of 2024. The Bipartisan Policy Center has released a new report outlining how Congress can enhance telehealth services. Maya Sandalow who a senior policy analyst with the center has highlighted the importance of telehealth for rural states such as Idaho. She noted that patients in rural areas often face long travel distances compared to urban areas to access care. Sandalow emphasized that hospitals in these regions are closing and experiencing financial challenges. She pointed out that telehealth is crucial to providing necessary care to Americans in rural communities.
Sandalow noted that Congress is likely to extend the telehealth provisions for two more years. However, she stressed that lawmakers should also look for ways to ensure Americans can continue to access telehealth services easily. The Bipartisan Policy Center’s report recommends three key policies for Congress to consider if they extend the telehealth provisions. First, policymakers need to understand the costs involved. Sandalow suggested that Congress should require a study from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine whether telehealth is more expensive than in-person care as there is some disagreement on this issue. Second, CMS should establish a system to monitor telehealth companies. While these companies are important for expanding access to care there are concerns about the quality of the services they provide. Sandalow mentioned the necessity of ensuring that the care provided by telehealth companies meets high standards. Lastly, Sandalow recommended making some telehealth policies permanent such as removing location restrictions that limit where patients can use telehealth services.
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$860 Million at Stake: Will Congress Act Fast to Permanently Extend Telehealth Services for Medicare Patients? (PHOTO: Healthcare Law Blog)
Addressing Behavioral Health Crisis and Medicare Access
Furthermore, like in-person care telehealth has proven to be a high-quality choice. By giving Americans more options for accessing mental health care it is particularly helpful in tackling the ongoing behavioral health problem. According to research, telemedicine can be just as successful as in-person care, said Sandalow. She underlined the critical need to increase access to care in every manner feasible in light of the current crisis in behavioral health. The research conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center highlights the importance of telehealth and urges Congress to act sensibly to ensure that Medicare recipients may continue to receive it. If the right laws are put in place telehealth can continue to play a big part in the healthcare system especially for those who live in distant areas.
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