Three weeks into the government shutdown, the Medicare telehealth flexibilities and the Acute Hospital Care at Home program remain shuttered, prompting growing concern from healthcare providers, health systems and patients unable to access needed care. ATA Action, the advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association, continues to urge Congress and the Administration to work together to enact a solution to quickly restore these bipartisan telehealth flexibilities during the shutdown.
“Seeing the government shutdown stall our telehealth progress has been deeply disheartening and disruptive,” said Helen Hughes MD, MPH, Medical Director, Office of Telemedicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and member of ATA’s Center of Digital Excellence (CODE). “As we watch vital access to care slip away, we hope Congress will act swiftly to permanently restore these essential services for our patients.”
ATA Action is also calling on Congress and the Administration to pass a retroactive telehealth reimbursement provision, to give providers the assurance that they will be compensated for telehealth services delivered during this period.
“In the absence of federal coverage for the Medicare population, an increasing number of health systems and providers are scaling back telehealth services. This unsustainable situation is forcing providers to make a difficult choice, to either suspend virtual care altogether or continue offering these essential services with no guarantee of reimbursement,” said Alexis Apple, director, federal affairs at the ATA and head of government affairs, ATA Action. “Our members are experiencing increased patient cancellations, no-shows, or unnecessary in-person visits and are having to reallocate staff to mitigate additional workforce challenges. This will only continue to get worse as the shutdown continues.”
With cold and flu season approaching, already overburdened healthcare providers and hospital systems will face additional pressures to deliver care to patients who cannot or should not access in-person care.
“We urgently need clear guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Congress on extensions for the Medicare telehealth flexibilities and retroactive payment for telehealth claims, to address mounting uncertainties and reassure providers and patients about the future of virtual care,” added Apple. “Most provider organizations are holding Medicare claims, to avoid the risk of nonpayment and compliance uncertainties – and remain divided on whether to continue telehealth, pause virtual services or transition back to in-person care, should the shutdown persist, which unfortunately looks likely.”
“Thanks to the vision and staunch support of President Trump and our many bipartisan champions in Congress, the telehealth flexibilities were put into place in 2020 and have since become an important part of healthcare delivery. We now rely on these dedicated leaders to protect the health of patients and the welfare of our healthcare system by reinstating telehealth benefits for Medicare patients as quickly as possible,” she said.
About ATA Action
ATA Action recognizes that telehealth and virtual care have the potential to transform the healthcare delivery system by improving patient outcomes, enhancing the safety and effectiveness of care, addressing health disparities, and reducing costs. ATA Action is a registered 501c6 entity and an affiliated trade organization of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).