“Last week, new legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would require Medicare to reimburse certain telehealth services post the public health emergency period. If passed, the bipartisan Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth Act of 2020 or HEALTH Act of 2020 (the “HEALTH Act of 2020”) would codify Medicare reimbursement and allow reimbursement for telehealth services provided by federally qualified health centers (“FQHCs”) and rural health clinics (“RHCs”).”
“The HEALTH Act of 2020 would permanently remove originating site facility and location requirements for distant site telehealth services provided by FQHCs and RHCs and qualify telehealth services provided to an individual at these sites as a visit. The law would also extend benefits and access to more patients (particularly high-risk patients) regardless of their geographic location.”
“Telehealth has proven to be a vital tool in combating COVID-19 by allowing patients to receive quality care while combating the virus. Certain data shows that during the past few months, virtual visits have increased more than 40 times in some parts of the country. The HEALTH Act of 2020 is no doubt influenced by the flexibility around telehealth in response to COVID-19…” Read the full article here.
Source: Introducing the HEALTH ACT: Expanding Medicare Reimbursement – By Kimberly Rai and Matthew Shatzkes, June 21, 2020. JD Supra.
