House Ways and Means Committee passes telehealth legislation to preserve COVID-19 flexibilities

House Ways and Means Committee passes telehealth legislation to preserve COVID-19 flexibilities

The House Ways and Means Committee has passed the Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act (H.R. 8261) to preserve the flexibilities for virtual care introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill, introduced by Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., expands Medicare telehealth for two years, hospital-at-home flexibilities for five years, and Medicare supplemental payments for rural hospitals and ambulance services.

During the pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services allowed certain flexibilities for the delivery of care. When the public health emergency ended in May 2023, many of these flexibilities ended, but CMS extended the waivers for telehealth, virtual care, and hospital care at home through the end of this year. For these care deliveries to continue, Congress needs to act.

The bill now heads to the full House, then to the Senate, and finally to the president for signature before it becomes law. Ways and Means members passed the bill by unanimous vote, indicating potential House and Senate support for extending telehealth and home hospital care use.

The bill proposes to preserve Medicare patients’ access to vital telehealth for two years and hospital-at-home services for five years. Additionally, it would preserve essential Medicare programs that sustain rural and low-volume hospitals and preserve Medicare add-on payments for urban, rural, and super-rural areas to maintain access to crucial emergency ambulance services.

The Ways and Means Committee approved six bills addressing various healthcare issues, particularly those facing rural communities. The package aims to prevent rural hospital closures and expand the number of doctors and nurses in rural areas.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., emphasized the importance of ensuring access to reliable, quality, lifesaving care for patients in rural America. The bill aims to address the challenges faced by rural communities in accessing healthcare services.

Overall, the legislation seeks to extend and preserve the telehealth and hospital-at-home flexibilities introduced during the pandemic, ensuring continued access to essential healthcare services for Medicare patients and rural communities.