As a telehealth user one should be aware about the latest developments. Let us look at the major changes in the approach towards virtual care and telehealth.
The Telehealth Expansion Act of 2021
The financial burden on patients is set to reduce as a new bill has been presented in Congress that aims at exempting telehealth services in particular high-deductible health plans.
Patients will now have more freedom to use virtual care. The new bill exempts telehealth visits from meeting deductible requirements, which are a part of high-deductible health plans.
First dollar coverage is allowed for virtual care since the Telehealth Expansion Act of 2021 (S. 1704), would permanently extend the telehealth safe harbor on High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), which was temporary provision of the CARES Act.
This bill which is one of the many being addressed at Capitol Hill that aim at extending connected health coverage and access that will continue in the post-pandemic period. But this bill targets specific barrier, especially in underserved populations.
Often people resist accessing healthcare for anything other than an emergency, because of the challenges of paying for high deductibles. These costs have become even more burdensome as COVID-19 has affected everyone’s budget.
The bill aims at eliminating the pressure of meeting a deductible, thus making the use of telehealth easier for many services that include therapy and rehab, chronic care management, behavioral health and many more.
Relief for telehealth users in rural areas:
Yet another bill has been submitted by a group of Senators, which aims at permanently extending Medicare coverage for particular telehealth services even after the pandemic ends.
The Protection Rural Telehealth Access Act (S.1988) aims at improving access to and coverage of connected health services in rural areas of the country. It would continue covering many emergency measures enacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The press release mentions the specifics of the bill that are listed below:
Payment parity to be allowed for audio-only telehealth services for clinically appropriate appointments.
Allow Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to bill directly for telehealth services.
Geographic restrictions to be waived off in Medicare coverage thereby allowing patients to get healthcare access from their home.
Permanently allowing Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to serve as distant sites to extend telehealth services.
Expanding coverage for asynchronous telehealth services.
The change is here:
You would be surprised to know the pace at which changes are taking place in the laws related to telehealth. According to the American Telemedicine Association, more than 1,000 telehealth related bills have been introduced in all 50 of the state legislatures.
The use of telehealth platforms has drastically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, ATA submitted more than 80 formal comment letters this year. It has also worked along with 41 states on legislations that pertain with virtual care.
In 2021, the ATA has managed to give testimony in person and virtually at legislative committees in 13 states. It has helped to pass 23 telehealth bills into law. It has said that many other bills are being discussed and its highly possible they would be passed.
Lifecycle Health has its own unique way to connect the healthcare professionals and patients. The provider and patient experience is enhanced through secure video, messaging, text, alerts, notes, digital forms, payments, and many more features to enable synchronous and asynchronous communications, engagement, and monitoring.
We offer a unique and flexible telehealth platform and to know more about it connect with our team.