Resources & Reports

Temporary telehealth policies during the pandemic, particularly those related to audio-only, highlighted the capacity of community health centers (CHCs) to increase patient access to care in underserved communities. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) recently released a report on their survey of CHCs to assess their telehealth experiences over the course of the public health emergency and determine what the effects would be upon termination of temporary policies, and how that would impact their providers and patients.

On July 13, 2021, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released their proposed CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). The PFS is historically where CMS will make administrative changes to telehealth policy in the Medicare program. As the pandemic begins to stabilize and restrictions begin to lift, there has been great concern as to what will happen with the temporary telehealth changes on the federal level. The CY 2022 proposed PFS is one step towards addressing those questions.

CCHP’s July Newsletter is Here! This month includes: Effects on Patient Access to Telehealth as Some State Emergencies End; June Policy Developments in CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder; Prescribing via Telehealth Post-Pandemic; Broadband Funding Frameworks and Updates; Packard Foundation COVID-19 Policy Flexibilities Report – Impacts and Recommendations Related to Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs; Consumer Survey Data Supports Use of Virtual Visits

The Commonwealth Fund recently released an issue brief titled, States’ Actions to Expand Telemedicine Access During COVID-19 and Future Policy Considerations, to help inform future policy considerations for telehealth post-pandemic. Focusing on private insurance coverage, the authors reviewed pre-pandemic state telehealth statutes as well as state emergency actions related to telehealth between March 2020 and March 2021.

At present, CCHP is tracking over 100 pieces of telehealth legislation in the current federal legislative session.  This month we have seen a number of bipartisan bills introduced, continuing the federal push to expand telehealth availability and codify flexibilities allowed during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).