Telehealth Advocacy

Action is Needed in 2024 to Extend Medicare Telehealth Policies

• Before the pandemic, statute and regulations limited health centers’ ability to provide health care through telehealth services.
• Thanks to the public health emergency flexibilities, health centers were reimbursed for audiovisual and audio-only telehealth services for medical and mental health visits during COVID-19.
• Pandemic-era flexibilities have been extended through 2025 and Congress must now take legislative action to permanently preserve health centers’ ability to serve their patients through telehealth.

Telehealth has been critical for Health Center Patients

• Health centers and the underserved communities they care for should continue to have access to telehealth services just like other providers.
• A recent survey found that 9 out of 10 health center patients are satisfied with telehealth services, especially related to ease of use and provider interactions.
• Over 40% of health center patients live in rural areas and, without telehealth, could have to travel long distances to see a provider for in-person visits.

Telehealth Policies Need to Maintain Access and Sustainability

• Health centers should be reimbursed for all telehealth services, including audio-only services, at a rate equal to in-person care.
• Audio-only services are essential to seniors, who use audio only nearly 60% more than the general population. Audio-only services do not require proficiency in using a smartphone, webcam, or a broadband connection.

NACHC Supports Three Bipartisan Pending Bills to Protect Access to Telehealth

• CONNECT for Health Act (H.R. 4189/S. 2016): This bill would expand access to telehealth services, ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries can continue to receive care.
• The HEALTH Act (H.R. 5611): This bill secures Medicare reimbursement for telehealth services provided by Community Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, including audio-only visits.
• The Telehealth Modernization Act (H.R. 7623): This bipartisan legislation extends telehealth flexibilities for two years and requires Medicare reimbursement for telehealth visits to be equal to in-person visits, protecting seniors’ access to telehealth flexibilities.