Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC): Positioning Telehealth Policy to Ensure High-Quality, Cost-Effective Care

Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC): Positioning Telehealth Policy to Ensure High-Quality, Cost-Effective Care

The Bipartisan Policy Center released an update to its federal telehealth policy recommendations. BPC assessed peer-reviewed research and government reports to offer targeted suggestions to guide policymakers as they consider the future of telehealth. Notable policy recommendations include:

Congress should require CMS to study the cost of telehealth, propose a long-term reimbursement strategy, and submit a report on its findings by June 2026. As part of this work, CMS should propose new reimbursement models that account for virtual care services delivered as part of a hybrid model of care (in-person, plus virtual).
Congress should ensure that the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS have sufficient funding to promote high-quality telehealth and track fraud, waste, and abuse
CMS and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) should work with medical specialty societies and states to develop and promote best practices for prescribing controlled substances via telehealth.