(Pixabay)
[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Health.]
By Julia Mirich
Real Clear Health
In a rare and overwhelming demonstration of bipartisan agreement, H.R. 4040 (the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act) passed the U.S. House at the end of July with a final vote tally of 416 to 12. The onus is now on the U.S. Senate to act – and soon.
This legislation would extend vital telehealth flexibilities, initially granted in response to the Public Health Emergency (PHE) that have been a literal lifeline for patients during the pandemic, for two years. The House took a major step forward toward safeguarding access to virtual care with this remarkable recognition of the critical value of telehealth for millions of patients. Now, as patients continue to face uncertainty about their future access to critical telehealth services, the Senate must capitalize on the bipartisan momentum to act.
Expanded access to telehealth services and rapid advancements in technology spurred by the pandemic resulted in telehealth becoming one of the few positive developments to come from the COVID-19 crisis — allowing millions of patients to access quality health care, lower their health care costs, and improve health outcomes.
As Spectrum News highlighted, this includes patients like 102-year-old Bob Paulus who visited with his internist virtually during the pandemic, and encouraged other seniors to “take advantage” of telehealth too.
The value patients like Bob realized, and continue to realize, from expanded access to telehealth is here to stay – unless it’s jeopardized by congressional inaction. Nearly 50 million seniors – 41 percent of all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries – utilized telehealth in 2020. An American Medical Association (AMA) survey found that 80 percent of physician respondents believe patients have better access to care since using telehealth, a 12 percent increase compared to 2020.
Virtual care has also improved access and health equity for communities who have historically experienced increased barriers to care, including seniors, and rural households. The most significant rise in telehealth use during the pandemic – a 56-fold increase – was among patients in under-resourced neighborhoods.
By supporting better adherence to treatment programs, improving outcomes, empowering individuals to better manage their health, and more, telehealth also helps patients reduce their health care costs. The average telehealth patient realized a 61 percent decrease in health care expenses from January 2020 to February 2021, according to a study from the Progressive Policy Institute.
Voters across the political spectrum recognize the many other ways that telehealth is strengthening the health care system and providing value for patients and will factor support for virtual care into their decisions heading into the midterm elections.
A recent national poll of U.S. voters found 78 percent — including broad majorities of Republicans, independents, and Democrats — support legislation that permanently protects telehealth access. Voters who face financial insecurity, live a long distance from their health care provider, and who come from communities of color support permanent protections for telehealth at even higher rates — highlighting how access to telehealth services is critical to addressing disparities in the health care system.
It’s no wonder telehealth enjoys strong support from lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. Congress stepped up to pass measures to extend telehealth Medicare waiver flexibilities for 151 days beyond an end of the PHE and expand access to telehealth for mental and behavioral care. And members in both chambers of Congress, representing rural and urban communities alike, have spoken about the importance of making telehealth flexibilities permanent.
All of the ingredients are there for the Senate to build on this broad bipartisan support and deliver a major step forward toward safeguarding access for virtual care. Patients who face uncertainty about their future access to virtual care are counting on Senate leaders to prioritize extending the flexibilities established during the pandemic by swiftly passing this legislation.
Then, lawmakers in both chambers must continue to work together in a spirit of bipartisan collaboration to pass permanent solutions to safeguard telehealth access for the millions of patients who rely on virtual care.
The House has taken the nation one step closer to permanently protecting access to virtual care for those who need it. Now, it is the Senate’s turn.
Julia Mirich is spokesperson for Telehealth Access for America, a public education campaign supported by more than 20 leaders in health care committed to better care, expanded patient choice, and protecting access to critical telehealth services.
[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Health.]
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