Major healthcare disruptors Amazon and Walmart have joined a chorus of hospitals, provider groups and telehealth organizations in pressing the U.S. Senate to extend telehealth flexibilities, such as removing in-person requirements for virtual behavioral health and increasing access to virtual health in the commercial market.
As it stands, those policies – which were enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic – are set to expire 151 days after the end of the public health emergency, Healthcare Finance reports. The PHE is currently set to end in October, though health officials are expecting the Biden administration to extend the PHE at that time, according to Politico.
Other current telehealth flexibilities include provisions to waive provider and patient location limitations, and to facilitate access to clinically appropriate controlled substances without in-person requirements.
In the joint letter to Senate leadership, more than 370 organizations said the short-term nature of the temporary policies add uncertainty into the healthcare system. Read more.
