ATA Urges Biden Administration to Ensure Telehealth Access into 2022

On Oct. 18, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) announced via a press release that in a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, the organization had urged the Biden Administration to provide certainty for telehealth access heading into 2022.

“Specifically, the ATA is calling for Secretary Becerra to indicate the expected duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and recommends the PHE and its flexibilities continue at least through the end of the calendar year 2022,” the release states.

Ann Mond Johnson, CEO of the ATA, was quoted in the release saying that “The ATA appreciates Secretary Becerra’s leadership to ensure access to telehealth during the public health emergency by implementing flexibilities that have allowed clinicians across the country to provide all Americans high-quality virtual care at a time of great need. These sustained flexibilities have helped usher in a true health system transformation. Unfortunately, this progress is in jeopardy. Medicare beneficiaries will abruptly lose access to nearly all recently expanded coverage of telehealth when the COVID-19 PHE ends without action from Congress.”

The release explains that without Congressional action, access to telehealth care will continue to depend on the existence of the HHS-declared public health emergency. In January 2021, Acting Secretary Norris Cochran wrote to governors across the nation promising predictability and stability, indicating that the PHE declaration would most likely remain in effect through 2021. “This was a simple action but proved to be hugely beneficial to state and local leaders, federal policymakers, providers, and patients who all relied on a sense of certainty that PHE policies—including those for telehealth—would not be taken away without warning,” Mond Johnson added.

The release concludes that “The ATA recently applauded the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for their proposal in the annual Physician Fee Schedule to ensure Category 3 telehealth services—those services added temporarily during the duration of the PHE—will continue to be eligible for coverage and reimbursement through the end of 2023, regardless of the PHE declaration.”