Premier pushing Congress to pass telehealth extensions
Premier joined hundreds of other organizations in sending a letter urging the Senate to pass additional extensions for key telehealth waivers.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act passed in March 2022 would extend telehealth waivers for 151 days after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, including lifting provider and patient location limitations, removing in-person requirements for telemental health and ensuring continued access to clinically appropriate controlled substances without in-person requirements.
While welcome, the short-term extension creates uncertainty for patients and providers who must weigh the costs of investing in the technological and clinical infrastructure required to maintain telehealth programs. The letter calls on the Senate to pass a two-year extension of these policies through 2024 - as the House did earlier this year in overwhelmingly passing the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act (H.R. 4040) - while continuing to work towards permanent extensions.
