A bipartisan group of senators is seeking information from top federal health officials on permanent changes to Medicare telehealth rules that are currently being considered.
Thirty-five U.S. Senators on Thursday sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services asking the agencies to provide a written plan and timeline about any potential changes to Medicare rules governing telehealth.
Lawmakers also called on the agencies to detail the list of permanent telehealth changes to Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and develop and issue guidance for private health plans to provide advance notice to their enrollees on future changes to coverage of those services.
“Telehealth has been a lifeline to patients and providers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the senators wrote. “For providers, telehealth has maintained access to patients and provided an important source of financial stability, which is particularly important now as providers attempt to recover some of the financial losses associated with delaying non-emergency procedures and following stay-at-home orders.”
CMS Administrator Seema Verma has previously said the agency is strongly considering extending waivers on telehealth coverage beyond the coronavirus crisis.
Last month, a newly launched taskforce also announced that it will develop recommendations on telehealth services to keep in place after the public health crisis.
