The extension allows many Medicare telehealth flexibilities to last until 2026. The provisions that ATA Action was particularly supportive of include allowing Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics to continue providing telehealth services. It also allows for expanding the list of Medicare providers to physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists, repealing the tele-mental health in-person criteria, and saving the Acute Hospital Care at Home Program until the 2029 calendar year, among other provisions.
According to the May 2024 ATA press release, the extension demonstrates the House Ways and Means Committee’s commitment to telehealth care. Kyle Zebley, Senior Vice President, Public Policy at the ATA and Executive Director for ATA Action, stated that the ATA would like these provisions to be permanent. She, however, added that the ATA applauded the two-year extension because it signals that the government’s bipartisan supporters will not leave Americans without access to quality, safe healthcare options. Further, the organization hopes the House Ways and Means Committee’s commitment will catalyze Congress to enact legislation.
ATA Action is a group that raises awareness of how telehealth can transform healthcare. For more information on this extension or ATA Action, please visit www.americantelemed.org/about-us/.