The Alliance for Connected Care endorsed H.R.6474 – the Healthcare Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act. This legislation would significantly expand funding for the Federal Communications Commission to support healthcare broadband deployment in response to COVID–19.
On April 14, the Alliance for Connected Care wrote the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in response to the COVID-19 Interim Final Rule. The Alliance emphasized the importance of the many changes that were made, and requested several next steps for CMS, leveraging new authorities that is has received under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, [...]
The Alliance for Connected Care commented on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed rule on "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2021 and 2022 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicaid Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly." In [...]
The President has signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R.748). The language is a significant advancement for the telehealth community. Here is a topline of the key telehealth provisions in the bill - Sec. 3212. Telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs. This section would amend the current Telehealth Network and [...]
On March 25, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar sent a letter to Governors calling on them to take a number of actions to strengthen the healthcare workforce as it faces the COVID-19 pandemic, including: Allow licensure across state lines - either in person or through telemedicine Waive state-level regulatory barriers to [...]
On March 20, a group of leading organizations called on Congress to pass legislation that amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers and health plans to cover telehealth services pre-deductible in Health Savings Account-eligible high deductible health plans during this health care crisis. This legislation would build on efforts by Congress to [...]
Leading telehealth, provider, and expert groups sent a letter to leaders in the House and Senate for a follow-up tweak for healthcare providers to be able to better use the Medicare telehealth provision from the first COVID-19 (coronavirus) package.
Congress Acts to Make Telemedicine Available to Seniors During Coronavirus March 5, 2020 – Today, Congress moved to help seniors access telehealth during the Coronavirus emergency without having to leave their homes. Please find a statement from the Alliance for Connected Care below:
The Alliance for Connected Care sent a letter to eight Congressional leaders to include a provision in the COVID-19 supplemental appropriation that will allow telehealth visits to be covered in traditional Medicare during the public health emergency. Including this provision in the upcoming supplemental legislation will encourage health systems and others to leverage telehealth in [...]
On February 13, Krista Drobac testified in support of Maryland Senate Bill 402, an Act authorizing certain health care practitioners to establish a practitioner-patient relationship through telehealth and requiring a health care practitioner providing telehealth services to be held to the same standards of practice as in-person settings. “The most important thing we can do [...]