/ en Sat, 14 Jun 2025 13:43:41 -0500 Wed, 11 Jun 25 04:44:42 -0500 /care-delivery-transformation/clinical/technology-enabled-care <div class="cdt-banner-wrap"><div class="clinical-banner-wrap"><div class="clinical-banner-wrap-content"><h1 class="text-align-center">Technology-enabled Care</h1><h2 class="text-align-center">Care Delivery Transformation Framework<br><span>Clinical Settings</span></h2></div></div></div> Wed, 11 Jun 2025 04:44:42 -0500 Telehealth /care-delivery-transformation/community/telehealth <div class="cdt-banner-wrap"><div class="community-banner-wrap"><div class="community-banner-wrap-content"><h1 class="text-align-center">Telehealth Resources</h1><h2 class="text-align-center">Care Delivery Transformation Framework<br><span>Community Settings</span></h2></div></div></div> Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:48:25 -0500 Telehealth /news/headline/2025-05-12-aha-makes-100-suggestions-trump-administration-providing-regulatory-relief <p>The AHA May 12 <a href="/lettercomment/2025-05-12-aha-response-omb-deregulation-rfi">responded</a> to the Office of Management and Budget's April 11 request for <a href="https://v">information</a> on regulatory relief, making 100 suggestions to the Trump administration to help reduce burden on hospitals and health systems. “The Trump administration has rightly pointed out that the health status of too many Americans does not reflect the greatness or wealth of our nation,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “Excessive regulatory and administrative burdens are a key contributor, as they add unnecessary cost to the health care system, reduce patient access to care and stifle innovation.”  <br><br>The AHA’s recommendations fall under four categories: billing, payment and other administrative requirements; quality and patient safety; telehealth; and workforce. </p> Mon, 12 May 2025 15:12:50 -0500 Telehealth /lettercomment/2025-05-12-aha-response-omb-deregulation-rfi <p>May 12, 2025</p><table><tbody><tr><td>Honorable Robert F. Kennedy Jr. <br>Secretary<br>U.S. Department of Health and Human<br>200 Independence Ave SW<br>Washington, DC 2001<br> </td><td>Honorable Russell T. Vought<br>Director<br>Office of Management and Budget<br>725 17th Street NW<br>Washington, DC 202503</td></tr><tr><td>Honorable Mehmet Oz, M.D.<br>Administrator<br>Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services<br>7500 Security Boulevard<br>Baltimore, MD 21244-1850</td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p><br><em><strong>RE: Request for Information: Deregulation (FR Doc. 2025-06316)</strong></em></p><p>Dear Secretary Kennedy, Administrator Oz and Director Vought:</p><p>On behalf of the ���������� Association’s (AHA) nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, and our clinician partners — including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers — and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups, we applaud you for seeking recommendations on how to free the health care system from burdensome administrative requirements that prevent Americans from accessing the care they need to live their healthiest lives.</p><p>The Trump administration has rightly pointed out that the health status of too many Americans does not reflect the greatness or wealth of our nation. Excessive regulatory and administrative burdens are a key contributor, as they add unnecessary cost to the health care system, reduce patient access to care and stifle innovation. </p><p>For example:</p><ul><li>More than a quarter of all health care spending goes to administrative tasks — topping more than $1 trillion annually.<sup>1</sup> Providers, in particular, face excessive costs to check patients’ eligibility for coverage, bill for payment, and process prior authorizations and appeals of coverage denials.</li><li>Hospitals and health systems spend billions of dollars annually just on collecting and submitting quality measures, with one survey estimating annual per-hospital costs of $3.5 to $12 million.<sup>2,3 </sup>The physicians with whom hospitals partner in delivering high-quality care face similarly daunting costs, with physicians in just four specialties — general internal medicine, family medicine, cardiology and orthopedics — spending an estimated $15.4 billion annually on quality measurement.<sup>4</sup></li><li>Prior authorization requests reached nearly 50 million in 2023 for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries alone, an increase from 42 million in 2022.<sup>5</sup></li><li>Most claims initially denied by insurers (70%) are ultimately paid, meaning a significant amount of administrative cost is a complete waste.<sup>6</sup></li><li>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations restrict the ability of certain advanced practice providers to independently practice more than is allowable in some states, which are responsible for clinician licensure and scope of practice.</li></ul><p>Addressing unnecessary administrative burdens and costs would go a long way to not only lower health system costs but support the accessibility of care. Many hospitals are financially unstable, with nearly 40% operating with negative margins.<sup>7</sup> This has led to closures of services and even entire hospitals, and the resulting loss in access to care is felt by entire communities.</p><p>The AHA, therefore, enthusiastically shares its top 100 ways that the administration could reduce the burden on hospitals and health systems. To put together this list, the AHA collected more than 2,700 ideas from an AHA member survey. Hospitals across the country, along with our Board of Trustees and other member advisors, identified outdated, burdensome, duplicative and expensive regulations that do not improve quality and patient safety and, in some cases, impede hospitals’ ability to offer the highest quality, most efficient care. Many of the items here also would remove administrative complexity to ensure that health care workers spend their time on patients, not paperwork. Some of these suggestions will require partnership with Congress, but many will not. Enacting even half of them would make a real difference throughout the health care system.</p><p>Our recommendations are grouped into four categories:</p><ul><li>Billing, Payment and Other Administrative Requirements.</li><li>Quality and Patient Safety.</li><li>Telehealth.</li><li>Workforce.</li></ul><p>While the full list is attached, below are the top actions we urge the administration to consider in each area.</p><h2>BILLING, PAYMENT AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS</h2><p>Research estimates that between 25-30% of all health care spending goes toward administrative tasks, not patient care.<sup>8</sup> These tasks include verifying patients’ insurance and coverage status, conducting prior authorizations, and acquiring and managing the personnel and technology to comply with different payment models and payer requirements. To reduce billing and payment-related burden, we recommend the following.</p><p><strong>Make all Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMMI) models voluntary, and specifically the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) (42 CFR 512.5) and repeal the mandatory Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model (42 CFR 512.412) and the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Review Choice Demonstration.</strong> While we strongly support innovation to improve the quality and accessibility of health care at lower costs, some of the CMMI models, as designed, could have an immediate detrimental impact on the quality of care or on patients’ access to care by overburdening their providers.</p><p>The IOTA Model is a complex mandatory payment model that purports to test whether hospital performance-based incentive payments will increase access to kidney transplants; however, these payments are designed to incentivize volume, not quality, and, in doing so, could lead to lower quality transplants and thus a higher risk of failure.</p><p>The TEAM would mandate that over 740 acute care hospitals receive bundled payments for five types of surgical episodes, irrespective of whether the hospitals are able to implement the bundles and whether they will improve patient care. The model particularly targets hospitals with low levels of existing experience with alternative payment models, increasing the risk that participating in such a model could financially destabilize them, threatening access to care for everyone in the community.</p><p>Finally, under the IRF Review Choice Demonstration, IRFs will have 100% of their Traditional Medicare claims subject to unnecessary and onerous pre- or post-claim review for at least six months. This will add considerable staffing costs to providers who are already struggling under rising input costs and unstable revenue.</p><p><strong>Repeal the excessive, confusing and imbalanced provider disincentives included in the June 2024 final rule “21st Century Cures Act: Establishment of Disincentives for Health Care Providers That Have Committed Information Blocking” (RIN 0955-AA05).</strong> Under the final rule, hospitals and providers found to engage in information blocking may face reductions in Medicare payment updates, adjustments to reimbursement rates, lower performance scores and potential ineligibility for certain incentive programs. We believe in the importance of making critical health information available to patients, the clinicians treating those patients, and those with appropriate reasons for having access, among which are payment, care oversight and research. However, the disincentive structure in this rule is excessive, so much so that it may threaten the financial viability of economically fragile hospitals, including many small and rural hospitals. In addition, the processes by which the Office of the Inspector General will determine if information blocking has occurred are unclear, including the appeals process, giving this proposed rule the appearance of being arbitrary and capricious.</p><p><strong>Standardize more insurance-related administrative transactions, starting with operationalizing the Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule (CMS-0057-F) to establish standard electronic prior authorization processes in Medicare Advantage, the Health Insurance Marketplaces and Medicaid. </strong>Hospitals often have hundreds if not thousands of contracts with different insurance plans. Each of these plans include different rules and processes, including the way to communicate requests and share associated documentation with plans (e.g. phone, fax, proprietary portal), the services that are subject to prior authorization, and the clinical criteria a plan will use to adjudicate prior authorization and coverage requests, among other things. There is tremendous opportunity to streamline many of these rules and processes to both improve patient’s access to care while also reducing the costs and burden on providers associated with compliance. For example, prior authorization is frequently applied inappropriately in ways that delay care and harm patients. CMS has taken significant steps to move many health plans towards standardized electronic prior authorization processes. These rules are intended to go into effect in 2026 and 2027, and we urge the administration to ensure robust and timely implementation.</p><h2>QUALITY AND PATIENT SAFETY</h2><p>High-quality, safe care is the core of hospitals’ missions. While many regulations originated out of an interest to improve care quality or patient safety, those same regulations, over time, have often become obsolete or redundant. Hospitals and health systems spend billions of dollars annually just on collecting and submitting quality measures, with one survey estimating annual per-hospital costs of $3.5 to $12 million.<sup>9,10</sup> The physicians with whom hospitals partner in delivering high-quality care face similarly daunting costs, with physicians in just four specialties — general internal medicine, family medicine, cardiology and orthopedics — spending an estimated $15.4 billion annually on quality measurement.<sup>11</sup> To reduce burdens related to quality measurement and reporting, we recommend the following.</p><p><strong>Repeal outdated COVID-19 reporting mandates.</strong> As noted above, data reporting is an incredibly time intensive activity that pulls clinicians away from patients and costs a considerable amount in both staff time and technology to complete. While we are deeply committed to ensuring the highest quality care — which requires evaluating performance and acting on the findings — it is imperative that we direct our limited resources to the highest impact areas. Unfortunately, hospitals are subject to significant outdated reporting requirements, in particular with respect to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Eliminating this unnecessary reporting would reduce costs in the health care system and enable providers to spend more time with their patients. Our immediate recommendation is to eliminate the requirements for post-acute care providers to report COVID-19 vaccine rates for patients/residents and staff (86 FR 42489, 86 FR 45446, 86 FR 42396, 88 FR 51009, 88 FR 53233, 88 FR 59250, 88 FR 77767), for hospitals to report staff COVID-19 vaccination rates (86 FR 45382), and for hospitals and skilled nursing facilities to report data on acute respiratory illnesses, including influenza, COVID-19, and RSV, once per week, with more frequent and extensive data reporting required during a public health emergency (42 CFR 482.42(e), 42 CFR 483.90(g), 42 CFR 485.426(e) and 42 CFR 485.640(d)).</p><p><strong>Replace the sepsis bundle measure, as required at 79 FR 50241 and 88 FR 59801, with a measure of sepsis outcomes.</strong> Hospitals have spent considerable effort — and achieved significant results — in mitigating the incidence and severity of sepsis, saving lives in the process. Unfortunately, research has demonstrated that the sepsis bundle measure has not led to better outcomes yet entails an enormous administrative burden. We encourage the administration to work with hospitals on a measure that will help them further advance the fight against sepsis, while reducing unnecessary burdens in the system.</p><p><strong>Eliminate duplicative “look back” validation surveys of accrediting organizations (AOs) at 42 CFR 488.9 and permanently adopt concurrent validation surveys.</strong> As part of its oversight process, CMS conducts a full re-survey of hospital compliance with Medicare Conditions of Participation on a representative sample of hospitals each year, comparing each hospital’s results with the most recent accreditation surveys. Instead of fulfilling CMS’ goal of assessing AO performance, the validation surveys result in rework and disruption for hospitals and health systems. CMS should instead permanently adopt concurrent validation surveys that would allow the agency to directly observe AO performance.</p><p><strong>Resume conducting low-risk complaint surveys virtually.</strong> During the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS adopted a policy in which accrediting organizations and state survey agencies could conduct complaint surveys of low-risk quality issues virtually. Since then, CMS has instructed AOs to conduct most complaint surveys in person, regardless of severity, and hospitals incur costs for each AO visit. Virtual surveys for low-risk complaints would enable more efficient use of survey resources and reduce administrative costs.</p><p><strong>Facilitate whole-person care by eliminating 42 CFR Part 2 requirements that hinder care team access to important health information and protect patient privacy under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).</strong> Despite regulatory changes in the past several years, the regulations in Part 2 are outdated, fail to protect patient privacy and erect sometimes insurmountable barriers to providing coordinated, whole-person care to people with a history of substance use disorder (SUD). Specifically, the regulations require the separation of records pertaining to SUD information, which prevents the integration of behavioral and physical health care because the patient data cannot be used and disclosed like all other health care data.</p><h2>TELEHEALTH</h2><p>As technology and consumer preferences have evolved, more care can safely be delivered via telehealth. However, numerous regulations restrict the use of virtual care, impeding innovation and our ability to deliver care more efficiently. While there are numerous ways to expand access to care using telehealth, we recommend starting with the following.</p><p><strong>Remove telehealth originating site restrictions within the Medicare program at Sec. 1834(m)(4)(C)(ii)(X) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m) and 42 CFR 410.78(b)(3) to enable patients to receive telehealth in their homes.</strong> Under current rules, patients must be in a clinical site of care, which completely undermines the value of telehealth for patients, limits its adoption and adds costs for providers.</p><p><strong>Remove telehealth geographic site restrictions within the Medicare program at Sec. 1834(m)(4)(C)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m) and 42 CFR 410.78(b)(4) to enable beneficiaries in non-rural areas to have the same access to virtual care as those in rural areas.</strong></p><p><strong>Remove the in-person visit requirements for behavioral health telehealth at Sec. 1834(m)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m) and 42 CFR 410.78(b)(3)(xiv), which is unnecessary, adds a barrier to access and creates a disparity between physical and mental health services.</strong></p><p><strong>Remove requirements at Sec. 3132 of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18001 et. seq.) and 42 CFR 418.22(4) that require hospice recertification to be completed in person to allow for hospice recertification to be completed via telehealth.</strong> This change would alleviate the burden on patients and their caregivers, as well as on clinicians.</p><h2>WORKFORCE</h2><p>The health care system’s greatest asset is our workforce. Unfortunately, doctors, nurses, technicians and others are increasingly burned out and leaving the profession, often citing excessive administrative burden that pulls them away from patient care. We recommend the following.</p><p><strong>Streamline care plan documentation requirements at 42 CFR 483.23(b)(4). </strong>To provide higher quality, more holistic care, patients are increasingly cared for by interdisciplinary teams. These teams may include a range of clinical professionals, such as nurses, therapists, and social workers. When used, these teams develop what is known as an interdisciplinary care plan. Yet, outdated regulations require nursing-specific care plans. Hence, as more care moves to interdisciplinary teams, clinicians must create duplicate paperwork to document the care plan.</p><p><strong>Eliminate the telehealth physician home address reporting requirement, which is currently under waiver as referenced at 89 FR 97110. </strong>Without continued waivers or removal, telehealth providers must list their home address on publicly available enrollment and claims forms when performing telehealth services from their homes, compromising their privacy and safety.</p><p><strong>Eliminate nurse practitioner and other advanced practice practitioner (APP) limitations at 42 CFR 485.604(a)(2), 42 CFR 485.604(b)(1)-(3), and 42 CFR 485.604(c)(1)-(3).</strong> These regulations impose limits on the scope of care APPs may provide that are often more restrictive than under state licensure, despite states having primary responsibility for clinical scope of practice rules. In these cases, hospitals and health systems are constrained in their ability to increase patient access to care through the greater use of APPs.</p><p><strong>Remove requirements at 42 CFR 410.61 that require outpatient physical therapy plans of care to be signed off by a physician or non-physician practitioner every 90 days. </strong>While CMS made an exception to the treatment plan signature requirement in the calendar year 2025 Physician Fee Schedule for initial care plans where there is a signed referral, the requirement for physicians to sign and date plans of care every 90 days creates an additional administrative burden.</p><p>Our attached recommendations also identify ways in which the administration can help reduce burdens caused by private sector stakeholders. While significant consolidation in the insurance industry exists, each insurer can offer thousands of unique health plan configurations, each often with its own rules and processes, such as which services are covered and the clinical criteria used to determine coverage. While we support the innovation and choice that these private entities bring to the health care system, this level of variation creates a tremendous amount of burden on providers. Fortunately, there are actions the administration can take to ease the cost and burden on providers of working with these payers, including addressing insurer consolidation that has given these companies the ability to unilaterally impose considerable burdens on providers.</p><p>Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to working with the administration on the much-needed effort to reduce regulatory red tape so that America’s hospitals and health systems can best support the health of their communities.<strong> </strong>Please contact me if you have questions, or feel free to have a member of your team contact Ashley Thompson, AHA’s senior vice president for policy analysis and development, at (202) 626-2688 or <a href="mailto:athompson@aha.org">athompson@aha.org</a>.</p><p>Sincerely,</p><p>/s/</p><p>Rick Pollack<br>President and CEO</p><p><strong>Attachment: 100 Ways to Free Hospitals from Wasteful and Burdensome Administrative Requirements to Provide the Highest Quality, Most Efficient Care to Patients </strong></p><p>View the letter and attachment below.</p><div><p>__________</p><div id="ftn1"><div id="ftn1"><div id="ftn1"><p><small class="sm"><sup>1</sup> “Active steps to reduce administrative spending associated with financial transactions in US health care,” Sahni, N., et. al., Health Affairs Scholar, Volume 1, Issue 5, November 2023, qxad053, </small><a class="ck-anchor" href="https://doi.org/10.1093/haschl/qxad053" id="https://doi.org/10.1093/haschl/qxad053"><small class="sm">https://doi.org/10.1093/haschl/qxad053</small></a><br><small class="sm"><sup>2</sup> “The volume and cost of quality metric reporting,” Sarawasthula A et al. Journal of the American Medical Association. Volume 329, Number 21. June 6, 2023. 1840-1847.</small><br><small class="sm"><sup>3</sup> “Observations from the field: Reporting Quality Metrics in Health Care.” Dunlap NE et al. National Academies Press; 2016. </small><a class="ck-anchor" href="https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Observations-from-the-Field-Reporting-Quality-Metrics-in-Health-Care.pdf" id="https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Observations-from-the-Field-Reporting-Quality-Metrics-in-Health-Care.pdf"><small class="sm">https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Observations-from-the-Field-Reporting-Quality-Metrics-in-Health-Care.pdf</small></a><br><small class="sm"><sup>4 </sup>“US Physician Practices Spend More Than $15.4 Billion Annually To Report Quality Measures.” Casalino LM et al. Health Affairs. Volume 35, Number 3. March 2016</small><br><small class="sm"><sup>5</sup>  </small><a class="ck-anchor" href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/nearly-50-million-prior-authorization-requests-were-sent-to-medicare-advantage-insurers-in-2023/" id="https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/nearly-50-million-prior-authorization-requests-were-sent-to-medicare-advantage-insurers-in-2023/"><small class="sm">https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/nearly-50-million-prior-authorization-requests-were-sent-to-medicare-advantage-insurers-in-2023/</small></a><br><small class="sm"><sup>6</sup> </small><a class="ck-anchor" href="https://premierinc.com/newsroom/policy/80-premier-members-call-for-medicare-advantage-changes-to-address-payment-denials-and-delays" id="https://premierinc.com/newsroom/policy/80-premier-members-call-for-medicare-advantage-changes-to-address-payment-denials-and-delays"><small class="sm">https://premierinc.com/newsroom/policy/80-premier-members-call-for-medicare-advantage-changes-to-address-payment-denials-and-delays</small></a></p><p><small class="sm"><sup>7</sup> </small><a class="ck-anchor" href="https://www.kaufmanhall.com/insights/thoughts-ken-kaufman/implications-national-hospital-flash-report-hospital-operations" id="https://www.kaufmanhall.com/insights/thoughts-ken-kaufman/implications-national-hospital-flash-report-hospital-operations"><small class="sm">https://www.kaufmanhall.com/insights/thoughts-ken-kaufman/implications-national-hospital-flash-report-hospital-operations</small></a><br><small class="sm">8 </small><a class="ck-anchor" href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/administrative-spending-contributes-excess-us-health-spending" id="https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/administrative-spending-contributes-excess-us-health-spending"><small class="sm">https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/administrative-spending-contributes-excess-us-health-spending</small></a><br><small class="sm"><sup>9 </sup> “The volume and cost of quality metric reporting,” Sarawasthula A et al. Journal of the American Medical Association. Volume 329, Number 21. June 6, 2023. 1840-1847.</small><br><small class="sm"><sup>10</sup> “Observations from the field: Reporting Quality Metrics in Health Care.” Dunlap  NE et al. National Academies Press; 2016. </small><a class="ck-anchor" href="https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Observations-from-the-Field-Reporting-Quality-Metrics-in-Health-Care.pdf" id="https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Observations-from-the-Field-Reporting-Quality-Metrics-in-Health-Care.pdf"><small class="sm">https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Observations-from-the-Field-Reporting-Quality-Metrics-in-Health-Care.pdf</small></a><br><small class="sm"><sup>11</sup> “US Physician Practices Spend More Than $15.4 Billion Annually To Report Quality Measures.” Casalino LM et al. Health Affairs. Volume 35, Number 3. March 20</small>16. </p></div></div></div></div> Mon, 12 May 2025 11:39:47 -0500 Telehealth /fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-telehealth <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/New-normal-vast-majority-of-hospitls-continue-to-use-telehealth.png" data-entity-uuid="4982c706-02b2-4af6-8ee7-9d6bea526a6e" data-entity-type="file" alt="New normal: vast majority of hospitals continue to use telehealth. Percent of hospitals offering telehealth services, 2018 to 2022. 2018: 72.6%. 2019: 78.3%. 2020: 85.1%. 2021: 86.0%. 2022: 86.9%. Note: AHA analysis of survey respondents to the 2018-2022 AHA Annual Survey. Telehealth services may be offered through the health system, a joint venture, or through the hospital itself." width="377" height="408" class="align-right">Telehealth is now a routine way for patients to access health care services and for providers in remote and other areas to access specialty consults that expand their ability to treat patients in their local communities. Telehealth adoption has grown significantly over the past five years due to waivers that enabled more services to be delivered via telehealth under more circumstances and for the providers of those services to be reimbursed. It has been proven safe and effective, and both patients and clinicians report high satisfaction. Prior concerns that telehealth would add utilization — and therefore cost — to the health care system have not been borne out.</p><p>Unfortunately, without congressional action, patients and providers may soon lose access to important telehealth services. <span><strong>We urge Congress to not send the health care system backward and instead make permanent the telehealth flexibilities granted during the pandemic.</strong></span></p><h2>AHA Position</h2><p>As outlined in our <a href="/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-2025-telehealth-advocacy-agenda">telehealth advocacy agenda</a>, the AHA supports:</p><ul><li><span><strong>Permanently adopting expanded access to telehealth:</strong></span> Permanent adoption of telehealth flexibilities will provide a firm foundation to preserve access and support further reform. We urge Congress to lift geographic and originating site restrictions, allow Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to serve as distant sites, expand practitioners who can provide telehealth, remove arbitrary in-person visit requirements for behavioral health, and allow the continuation of audio-only telehealth services.</li><li><span><strong>Expanding the telehealth workforce:</strong></span> Expanding the telehealth workforce will serve as a force multiplier to increase access for areas with health care staffing shortages. Specific policies (like codifying virtual supervision flexibilities), removing barriers to cross-state licensure and eliminating dangerous reporting requirements (like provider home addresses) will increase the telehealth workforce.</li><li><span><strong>Ensuring fair and adequate telehealth reimbursement:</strong></span> Virtual care still has costs, including for both personnel, technology, and office space out of which many telehealth providers work. Appropriate reimbursement is necessary to preserve increased access to care.</li><li><span><strong>Supporting telehealth for rural and medically underserved areas:</strong></span> One barrier to expanding telehealth to these populations has been a lack of access to enabling technologies (like broadband, reliable Wi-Fi or smartphones), as well as education to support digital literacy. As such, we encourage cross-agency collaboration to develop training and infrastructure investment. Additionally, arbitrary requirements, like mandatory in-person visit requirements for behavioral health or prior to prescribing of controlled substances, have limited access for communities that may not have a practitioner available in person. We have urged for the development of a new, streamlined special registration process to waive in-person visit requirements for prescribing controlled substances.</li></ul><h2>Key Facts</h2><ul><li>Recent data from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that while utilization of telehealth has declined since 2020, utilization remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. In the last quarter of 2023, over 12.6% of Medicare beneficiaries received a telehealth service.<a href="#fn1"><sup>1</sup></a></li><li>There is a growing body of evidence showing that telehealth does not result in additive or duplicative care. A study of over 35 million records by Epic found that for most telehealth visits across 33 specialties, there was no need for an in-person follow-up visit within 90 days of the telehealth visit.<a href="#fn2"><sup>2</sup></a></li><li>Recent data suggest that the United States will face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036.<a href="#fn3"><sup>3</sup></a> Telehealth is a critical supporting element to address the growing shortage of physicians.</li><li>Patients across geographies and settings, including both rural and urban areas, have benefited from the increased access and improved convenience provided by telehealth services since patients could receive care from their homes. In fact, data from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) showed that most patients using telehealth in 2020 (92%) received telehealth from their home.<a href="#fn4"><sup>4</sup></a> >/li></li><li>The availability of audio-only telehealth is a critical option to ensure access to care when patients may not have access to technology or bandwidth for video visits. A 2021 report from ASPE found that the majority of surveyed respondents 65 and older used audio-only visits (56.5%) compared to video visits, partly driven by the fact that over 26% of Medicare beneficiaries reported not having computer or smartphone access at home.<a href="#fn5"><sup>5</sup></a></li><li>The lack of broadband infrastructure exacerbates access challenges for certain areas. The Federal Communications Commission reports that over 22% of Americans in rural areas lack access to appropriate broadband (fixed terrestrial 25/3 Mbps) compared to 1.5% in urban areas.<a href="#fn6"><sup>6</sup></a></li><li>Misperceptions about telehealth contributing to fraud, waste and abuse are not supported by data. A recent Office of the Inspector General report found that only 0.2% of all telehealth providers were “potentially high-risk” for fraud, waste and abuse previously.<a href="#fn7"><sup>7</sup></a> Policies should support the 99.8% of providers safely and compliantly delivering services.</li></ul><h2>Resources</h2><ul><li><a href="/news/perspective/2024-10-18-taking-action-extend-telehealth-and-hospital-home-programs">Taking Action to Extend Telehealth and Hospital-at-home Programs</a></li><li><a href="/lettercomment/2024-03-20-aha-urges-cms-remove-telehealth-provider-home-address-reporting-requirements">CMS Urged to Remove Telehealth Provider Home Address Reporting Requirements</a></li><li><a href="/lettercomment/2023-09-11-aha-comments-cms-physician-fee-schedule-proposed-rule-calendar-year-2024">AHA Comments on CMS’s Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule for Calendar Year 2024</a></li><li><a href="/news/headline/2024-04-10-aha-urges-congress-make-telehealth-flexibilities-permanent">AHA urges Congress to make telehealth flexibilities permanent</a></li><li><a href="/2024-08-12-aha-comments-340b-drug-pricing-program-irf-payments-physician-fee-schedule-and-telehealth">AHA Comments on 340B Drug Pricing Program, IRF Payments, Physician Fee Schedule and Telehealth</a></li><li><a href="/2023-10-10-aha-letter-support-senate-connect-health-act-2023-s-2016">AHA Letter of Support for Senate CONNECT Health Act of 2023 (S. 2016)</a></li><li><a href="/lettercomment/2023-01-30-ahas-feedback-senate-re-connect-act">AHA’s Feedback to the Senate Re: The CONNECT Act</a></li><li><a href="/lettercomment/2022-12-01-aha-letter-dea-regarding-request-release-special-registration-telemedicine-regulation">AHA Comments on the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act</a></li><li><a href>AHA Letter to DEA Regarding Request for Release of Special Registration for Telemedicine Regulation</a></li></ul><hr><h3>Notes</h3><ol><li id="fn1"><a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/what-to-know-about-medicare-coverage-of-telehealth/" target="_blank">https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/what-to-know-about-medicare-coverage-of-telehealth/</a></li><li id="fn2"><a href="https://epicresearch.org/articles/telehealth-visits-unlikely-to-require-in-person-follow-up-within-90-days" target="_blank">https://epicresearch.org/articles/telehealth-visits-unlikely-to-require-in-person-follow-up-within-90-days</a></li><li id="fn3"><a href="https://www.aamc.org/media/75236/download?attachment" target="_blank">https://www.aamc.org/media/75236/download?attachment</a></li><li id="fn4"><a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/a1d5d810fe3433e18b192be42dbf2351/medicare-telehealth-report.pdf" target="_blank">https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/a1d5d810fe3433e18b192be42dbf2351/medicare-telehealth-report.pdf</a></li><li id="fn5"><a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/4e1853c0b4885112b2994680a58af9ed/telehealth-hps-ib.pdf target=">https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/4e1853c0b4885112b2994680a58af9ed/telehealth-hps-ib.pdf</a></li><li id="fn6"><a href="https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-progress-reports/2020-broadband-deployment-report" target="_blank">https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-progress-reports/2020-broadband-deployment-report</a></li><li id="fn7"><a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-02-20-00720.pdf" target="_blank">https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-02-20-00720.pdf</a></li></ol></div><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/02/Fact-Sheet-Telehealth-20250207_0.pdf" target="_blank" title="Click here to download the Fact Sheet: Telehealth PDF." system files media file><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/cover-fact-sheet-telehealth-april-2025.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Fact Sheet: Telehealth page 1." width="695" height="899"></a></div></div></div> h2 { color: #003087; } h3 { color: #9d2235; } Mon, 21 Apr 2025 16:41:00 -0500 Telehealth /news/headline/2025-04-04-senators-reintroduce-bipartisan-bill-expanding-telehealth-services <p>A bipartisan group of 60 senators April 2 <a href="https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-wicker-lead-bipartisan-group-of-60-senators-in-introducing-legislation-to-expand-telehealth-access-make-permanent-telehealth-flexibilities">reintroduced</a> the CONNECT for Health Act, AHA-supported legislation that would expand patient access to telehealth services through Medicare while removing barriers to adoption. The bill would also make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities currently set to expire Sept. 30. The lead sponsors of the bill are Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Mark Warner, D-Va., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Peter Welch, D-Vt., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo. </p> Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:03:33 -0500 Telehealth /concord/case-studies/thyme-care <div></div><div> /* Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar */ .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar { position: relative; display: block; overflow: hidden; max-width: 1170px; margin: 0px auto 25px auto; } .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { position: absolute; bottom: 40px; color: #003087; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, .8); width: 100%; padding: 20px 40px; font-size: 3em; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px -5px rgba(0, 0, 0, .6); } @media (max-width:991px) { .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; font-size: 2.5em; } } @media (max-width:767px) { .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { font-size: 2em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; padding: 10px 20px; } } @media (max-width:530px) { .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { position: relative; background-color: #63666A22; } } /* Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar // */ .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { color: #fff; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, .0); box-shadow: none; } @media (max-width:530px){ .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { background-color:#000; } } <header class="Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar"><img src="/sites/default/files/2023-06/Concord_Investing_banner1_1170x250.jpg" alt="Banner Image" width="1168" height="250"><div><h1>Transforming the Cancer Care Experience</h1></div></header></div><div class="raw-html-embed"> /* CntMenuSub */ .CntMenuSub{ margin:20px 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; color: #afb1b1; letter-spacing: 1.5px; font-weight: 400; font-size: 11.2px; } .CntMenuSub a{ text-decoration:none } .CntMenuSub .CntMenuBar{ border-bottom: 1px solid lightblue; } /* if includes a logo */ @media (min-width:361px){ .CntMenuSub.CntMenuSubLogo .CntMenuBar{ margin-top: 10px; float: left; width: calc(100% - 425px); } } @media (max-width:767px) and (min-width:361px){ .CntMenuSub.CntMenuSubLogo .CntMenuBar{ float: left; width: calc(100% - 0px); } .CntMenuSub.CntMenuSubLogo img{ width: auto; } } /* // */ .CntMenuSub .CntMenuBar a:after{ content: "|"; padding: 0 3px 0 6px; color: #555; } .CntMenuSub .CntMenuBar a:last-child:after{ content: ""; } .CntMenuSub .CntMenuSubHome, .CntMenuSub .CntMenuSubParent{ text-transform: uppercase; color: #555; opacity: .9; } .CntMenuSub .CntMenuSubParent{ } .CntMenuSub .CntMenuSubChild{ } .CntMenuSub .CntMenuSubCurrent{ opacity: .7; } .CntMenuSub .CntMenuSubHome:hover, .CntMenuSub .CntMenuSubParent:hover{ text-transform: uppercase; color: #d50032; } /* CntMenuSub // */ <div class="container CntMenuSub"> <div class="col-md-1">   </div> <div class="col-md-10 row CntMenuBar"> <a class="CntMenuSubHome" id="CntMenuSubHome"></a> <a class="CntMenuSubParent" id="CntMenuSubParent" href="./"></a> <span class="CntMenuSubChild" id="CntMenuSubChild"></span> </div> <div class="col-md-1">   </div> </div> var url = window.location.pathname; var path = url.split('/').slice(-3, 2).join('/'); var pathreplace = path.replace(/-/g, " "); document.getElementById("CntMenuSubHome").innerHTML =(pathreplace); var url = window.location.pathname; var path = url.split('/').slice(-2, 3).join('/'); var pathreplace2 = path.replace(/-/g, " "); document.getElementById("CntMenuSubParent").innerHTML =(pathreplace2); var url = window.location.pathname; var path = url.split('/').slice(1, 2).join('/'); var pathreplace2 = path.replace(/-/g, " "); document.getElementById("CntMenuSubParentOnly").innerHTML =(pathreplace2); var y = document.getElementsByTagName("h1"); document.getElementById("CntMenuSubChild").innerHTML = y[0].innerHTML; </div><div class="row sp_Resource1"> .sp_Resource1 { /*padding: 25px 0 0px 0;*/ } .sp_Resource1 h2 { margin-top: 0px; } .sp_Resource1 h3 { margin: 10px 0 0 0; color: #555; font-size: .7em; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 3px; } .sp_Resource1 h4 { color: #002855; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 30px; margin: 10px 0 15px 0 } .sp_Resource1 p, .sp_Resource1 ul li { font-size: 16px; } .sp_Resource1_holder { background-color: ; padding: 0; overflow: auto } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder img { margin: auto; display: block; box-shadow: 10px 10px 14px -6px rgba(0,0,0,0.75); -webkit-box-shadow: 10px 10px 14px -6px rgba(0,0,0,0.75); -moz-box-shadow: 10px 10px 14px -6px rgba(0,0,0,0.75); } @media (max-width:767px) { .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder img { width: 100%; max-width: 150px; } } .sp_Resource1 .btn { margin-top: 20px; } .sp_Resource1_holder h2 span { color: #d50032; display: block; position: relative; font-size: .8em; } <div class="col-md-10 col-md-offset-1 sp_Resource1_holder"><div class="text-align-center col-sm-4 col-md-3"><a href="https://20041330.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20041330/Thyme%20Care%202024%20Impact%20Report.pdf?utm_source=aha&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=aha-concord-portcos&utm_term=2025&utm_content=casestudy" target="_blank" title="Thyme Care’s Impact Report on Improving the Cancer Care Journey"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/thyme_care_cancer-care-journey_impact-report-247x320.jpg" alt="Cover image" width="247" height="320"></a> </div><div class="col-sm-8 col-md-9"> Scan </h3> --><h2><span>Case Study</span> <a href="https://20041330.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20041330/Thyme%20Care%202024%20Impact%20Report.pdf?utm_source=aha&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=aha-concord-portcos&utm_term=2025&utm_content=casestudy" target="_blank" title="Thyme Care’s Impact Report on Improving the Cancer Care Journey">Thyme Care’s Impact Report on Improving the Cancer Care Journey</a></h2><p>Thyme Care’s Impact Report showcases their 2024 key outcomes in oncology care, highlighting powerful data on cost reduction, acute care utilization, social barriers, and member experience. This free resource helps organizations understand how Thyme Care’s comprehensive, value-based approach can meaningfully improve care quality, lower costs, and enhance the patient experience.</p><p><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://20041330.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20041330/Thyme%20Care%202024%20Impact%20Report.pdf?utm_source=aha&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=aha-concord-portcos&utm_term=2025&utm_content=casestudy" target="_blank" title="Thyme Care’s Impact Report on Improving the Cancer Care Journey"><span>Read Case Study</span></a><span> </span></p></div></div><div class="col-md-1"> </div></div> /* y-hr3 */ .y-hr3{ clear: both; } .y-hr3 div:nth-child(2) { border-top: solid 2px lightgrey; margin: 50px 0px; height: 0px } /* y-hr3 // */ <div class="row y-hr3"><div class="col-md-3"> </div><div class="col-md-6"> </div><div class="col-md-3"> </div></div><div class="row spacer"><div class="col-sm-8 col-md-offset-2"><div><a href="https://www.thymecare.com/oncologygroups?utm_source=aha&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=aha-concord-portcos&utm_term=2025&utm_content=casestudy" target="_blank" title="Thyme Care"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/thyme-care-logo-834x313.jpg" alt="Thyme Care logo" width="417" height="157"></a><h3><a href="https://www.thymecare.com/oncologygroups?utm_source=aha&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=aha-concord-portcos&utm_term=2025&utm_content=casestudy" target="_blank" title="Thyme Care">Thyme Care</a></h3><p>Thyme Care is the leading value-based care enabler, collaborating with providers and payers to transform the experience and outcomes for cancer patients. By combining a technology-enabled Care Team and a partnership with 1000+ oncologists, Thyme Care creates a collaborative care model that supports patients with cancer while reducing the total cost of care.</p><p>If you would like to learn more about Thyme Care visit <a href="https://www.thymecare.com">Thymecare.com</a> or <a href="mailto:michele@thymecare.com?subject=I%20would%20like%20to%20learn%20more%20about%20your%20solution&body=I%20would%20like%20to%20learn%20more%20about%20the%20work%20your%20company%20is%20doing%20with%20hospitals%20and%20health%20care%20providers." title="Contact Michele Lee">contact Michele Lee</a>.</p></div></div></div> /* y-hr3 */ .y-hr3{ clear: both; } .y-hr3 div:nth-child(2) { border-top: solid 2px lightgrey; margin: 50px 0px; height: 0px } /* y-hr3 // */ <div class="row y-hr3"><div class="col-md-3"> </div><div class="col-md-6"> </div><div class="col-md-3"> </div></div> Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:41:00 -0500 Telehealth /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2025-04-01-innovative-rural-hospitals-think-beyond-tradition-improve-access-care <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Innovative-Rural-Hospitals-Think-Beyond-Tradition-to-Improve-Access-to-Care.png" data-entity-uuid="e778c7ba-7645-47e7-92fc-159ef664d4dd" data-entity-type="file" alt="Innovative Rural Hospitals Think Beyond Tradition to Improve Access to Care. Drones fly over fields in a rural community in Virginia to deliver lifesaving medications with a computer monitor in the foreground displaying radiology images that AI is helping radiologists provide faster diagnoses." width="100%" height="100%"><h2>AI Helps to Improve Speed of Radiology Reviews</h2><p>Last year, <a href="https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/how-mercy-is-using-ai-to-improve-patient-care" target="_blank" title="Chief Healthcare Executive: https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/how-mercy-is-using-ai-to-improve-patient-care">Mercy</a> — a large health system serving many rural communities across Missouri and surrounding states — expanded its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve patient access and outcomes in radiology. By integrating Aidoc, an AI-powered clinical decision-support platform, into its imaging workflow, Mercy now can provide faster diagnosis of life-threatening conditions such as pulmonary embolisms and brain bleeds across its network of more than 50 hospitals, many of them in rural or underserved areas.</p><p>The AI platform reviews scans in real time and automatically flags critical findings for radiologists and emergency teams. This reduces turnaround times for high-risk cases and helps to ensure that patients in rural facilities receive the same rapid care available in larger urban centers. According to Mercy leaders, the AI implementation has enhanced clinical efficiency and supported more timely interventions — particularly in emergency departments (EDs) where staffing can be stretched thinly.</p><h3>Key Takeaway</h3><p>Artificial intelligence can be a vital force multiplier for rural hospitals. AI helps to improve diagnostic speed, enhance care team coordination and ensures that patients with high-acuity conditions receive timely attention.</p><h2>Drones Deliver Lifesaving Medications in Virginia</h2><p>In partnership with Zipline, a logistics drone company, Wise County, Virginia, launched a pilot program with <a href="https://cardinalnews.org/2024/12/26/nearly-a-decade-after-historic-drone-test-in-wise-county-drone-scare-shows-need-for-drone-identification/" target="_blank" title="Nearly a decade after historic drone test in Wise County, drone scare shows need for drone identification">Cardinal News: Remote Area Medical</a> to deliver essential medications to remote communities. Using autonomous drones, the health department now can transport insulin, antibiotics and other critical supplies across rugged terrain in less than 30 minutes — a journey that otherwise might take hours by car.</p><p>The program, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, has grown into a model for how unmanned aerial vehicles can support rural health equity. Because the drones are not hindered by poor roads, weather or distance, they help to ensure continuity of care for patients who manage chronic conditions or need urgent medications.</p><h3>Key Takeaway</h3><p>Explore logistics innovations like drones to reduce delays and transportation costs in rural care delivery. Investing in or partnering with drone logistics providers can help eliminate last-mile delivery challenges, particularly for pharmacy and lab services, and enhance health equity in hard-to-reach communities.</p><h2>Nurse-Run Telehealth Hubs in North Dakota</h2><p><a href="https://www.trinity-health.org/newsroom/press-releases/trinity-health-revolutionizes-nursing-practice-through-virtual-connected" target="_blank" title="Trinity Health: Trinity Health Revolutionizes Nursing Practice Through a TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care™ Delivery Model">Trinity Health</a> in Minot, North Dakota, operates mobile nurse-run telehealth hubs in converted vans that travel to underserved towns across the state. Equipped with diagnostic tools, mobile internet and tablets connecting to remote physicians, these vans serve as a lifeline for patients in areas that lack nearby clinics.</p><p>Staffed by advanced practice nurses, the vans provide on-site assessments, collect vitals, administer vaccines and facilitate virtual consults with physicians at Trinity’s main facilities. This hybrid care model bridges the gap between virtual and hands-on services.</p><p>The program has improved appointment adherence and helped to identify serious conditions sooner, reducing ED usage and supporting chronic disease management.</p><h3>Key Takeaway</h3><p>Mobile, nurse-led clinics are a scalable solution to rural provider shortages. Leveraging nurses and physician extenders in mobile units allows systems to reach new populations, increase care continuity and reduce unnecessary ED visits at a relatively low capital cost.</p><h2>Digital Front Doors in Rural Ohio</h2><p>Memorial Health System in Marietta, Ohio, accelerated its digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing a <a href="https://www.trinity-health.org/newsroom/press-releases/trinity-health-revolutionizes-nursing-practice-through-virtual-connected" target="_blank" title="Trinity Health: Trinity Health Revolutionizes Nursing Practice Through a TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care™ Delivery Model">comprehensive patient intake platform</a>. This initiative enabled patients to complete appointment scheduling, registration and billing processes remotely, enhancing convenience and safety.</p><p>The digital system streamlined front-end operations, reducing the need for manual data entry and minimizing lobby congestion. Patients now can check in and complete necessary forms from their homes, decreasing errors and enhancing privacy. This transformation not only improved operational efficiency, but also strengthened infection control measures by reducing in-person interactions. Memorial Health System's experience underscores the importance of digital solutions in enhancing patient engagement and streamlining health care delivery, particularly in rural settings where access to care can be challenging.</p><h3>Key Takeaway</h3><p>Prioritize digital inclusion alongside digital transformation. Implementing a digital front-door strategy can significantly enhance patient access, satisfaction and operational efficiency in rural health care settings.</p><h2>The Future of Access: Innovation with Intent</h2><p>Whether it’s drones delivering medications or nurses driving virtual care on wheels, rural hospitals are innovating to close the gap between providers and patients. These creative solutions are designed to keep patient needs, geographic barriers and economic realities top of mind.</p><p>As workforce shortages, financial constraints and care disparities persist in rural America, hospital leaders must think beyond traditional infrastructure. Strategic investment in technology — paired with thoughtful implementation — can transform how care is delivered and experienced, regardless of ZIP code.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } h2 { color: #9d2235; } Tue, 01 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0500 Telehealth /news/headline/2025-02-14-dea-and-hhs-delay-implementation-buprenorphine-final-rule <p>Today the Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Health and Human Services <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2025-02793/expansion-of-buprenorphine-treatment-via-telemedicine-encounter-and-continuity-of-care-via">announced</a> that the effective date for the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/17/2025-01049/expansion-of-buprenorphine-treatment-via-telemedicine-encounter">final rule</a> regarding telemedicine prescribing of buprenorphine will be delayed from Feb. 18 to March 21.  As outlined in the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/regulatory-freeze-pending-review/">Jan. 20 White House memorandum</a> announcing the regulatory freeze, the agencies decided to delay the implementation of rules to review any questions of fact, law and policy. </p><p>The DEA and HHS clarified that the waiver provisions outlined in the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/11/19/2024-27018/third-temporary-extension-of-covid-19-telemedicine-flexibilities-for-prescription-of-controlled">third extension</a> of telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances will remain in effect to waive in-person visit requirements through Dec. 31, 2025.<br><br>The agencies are soliciting comments on whether the effective date of the buprenorphine final rule should be extended beyond March 21. Comments are due Feb. 28.</p><p>Once implemented, the DEA’s final rule for the telemedicine prescribing of buprenorphine will enable practitioners to prescribe a six-month initial supply of Schedule III-V medications to treat opioid use disorder via audio-only telemedicine interaction without a prior in-person evaluation. Additional information on the buprenorphine final rule can be found in the <a href="/advisory/2025-01-22-telemedicine-prescribing-controlled-substances">AHA Member Advisory</a>.</p> Fri, 14 Feb 2025 16:03:43 -0600 Telehealth <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>In December, Congress passed a legislative package to fund the government through March 14 and extend key health care provisions through the end of March. Congressional action is needed once again to fund the government and ensure long-term stability for these critical health care programs. At the same time, House and Senate Republicans are planning a strategy to use the budget reconciliation process to accomplish some of their legislative priorities, and Congress must raise the debt ceiling in the coming months. As part of these strategies, they are considering proposals that would reduce funding for hospital care, including reductions to the Medicaid program, jeopardizing access to the 24/7 care and services that hospitals provide.</p><h2>Action Needed</h2><p><strong>Please ask your senators and representatives to prevent Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment cuts from taking effect; extend enhanced low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital programs that expand access to care in rural areas; and extend telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers. These policies are currently set to expire at the end of March and must be extended.</strong></p><p><strong>In your discussions with your legislators, please continue to share the valuable role your hospital or health system plays in the community they represent and urge them to reject cuts that would jeopardize access to hospital care and services that patients rely on.</strong></p><p>More details and resources to support your advocacy efforts on these important issues follow.</p><h2>Health Care Extenders</h2><p>Congress passed a legislative package in December that extended some key health care provisions through the end of March, but additional congressional action is needed.</p><ul><li><strong>Prevent Medicaid DSH Cuts.</strong> The Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) program provides essential financial assistance to hospitals that care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations — children, the impoverished, disabled and elderly. Without congressional action, billions in cuts would take effect April 1. <strong>See the </strong><a href="/system/files/media/file/2020/02/fact-sheet-medicaid-dsh-0120.pdf"><strong>Medicaid DSH fact sheet</strong></a><strong> for more details.</strong></li><li><strong>Extend Key Rural Programs.</strong> The enhanced low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital programs provide rural, geographically isolated and low-volume hospitals additional financial support to ensure rural residents have access to care. Without congressional action, these programs will expire on April 1. <strong>See the </strong><a href="/fact-sheets/2022-08-30-fact-sheet-rural-hospital-support-act-s4009-assistance-rural-community"><strong>rural programs fact sheet</strong></a><strong> for more details.</strong></li><li><strong>Extend Telehealth and Hospital-at-Home Waivers.</strong> Congress has extended telehealth waivers and the hospital-at-home program through March 31, but additional action is needed. See the <a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/2024-10-31-advocacy-issue-telehealth-waivers">telehealth</a> and <a href="/fact-sheets/2024-08-06-fact-sheet-extending-hospital-home-program">hospital-at-home fact sheets</a> for more details.</li></ul><h2>Critical Issues for the 119th Congress</h2><p>Following our Feb. 5 advocacy update webinar for members, we are providing new fact sheets and primers on emerging issues of significant importance for hospitals and health systems. We will be providing updates, new resources and data on these and other issues to help your advocacy efforts throughout the year.</p><h3>Reject Cuts to Medicaid</h3><p>Republican leaders continue to have discussions about how to use reconciliation — a <a href="/issue-landing-page/2025-02-07-budget-reconciliation-process-resource-page">budget tool</a> that gives Congress a fast-track mechanism to avoid the Senate filibuster and pass legislation with a simple majority. House and Senate Republicans are expected to use the budget reconciliation process to try to pass key agenda items on taxes, energy and border security, and they may look to health program funding as a way to pay for this legislation. <strong>Such proposals could significantly reduce federal spending for the Medicaid program. Even a small portion of possible reductions could have wide-ranging negative consequences for the health and well-being of both Medicaid enrollees and the broader health care system.</strong></p><p>The AHA has developed a number of resources hospitals and health systems can use as part of their advocacy efforts, including the following:</p><ul><li><a href="/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-medicaid">General Fact Sheet on Medicaid</a></li><li><a href="/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-medicaid-provider-taxes">Fact Sheet on Medicaid Provider Taxes</a></li><li><a href="/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-medicaid-hospital-payment-basics">Fact Sheet on Medicaid Hospital Payment Basics</a></li><li><a href="/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-capita-caps-medicaid-program">Medicaid Per Capita Caps</a></li></ul><h3>Extend Enhanced Premium Tax Credits</h3><p>The federal government offers enhanced premium tax credits (EPTCs) to help eligible individuals and families purchase coverage on the health insurance marketplaces. These policies are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. <strong>Congress should extend the EPTCs before the end of the year</strong> as they have increased access to health care coverage and high-quality care for patients and communities served by hospitals, health systems and other providers. <strong>Download the AHA fact sheet, which includes new data on the negative impact of not extending the </strong><a href="/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-enhanced-premium-tax-credits"><strong>EPTCs</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><h3>Reject Site-neutral Payment Cuts</h3><p>Congress is considering several bills that would impose billions in Medicare site-neutral payment reductions for services provided in hospital outpatient departments. <strong>Congress should reject site-neutral proposals</strong> because they would reduce patient access to vital health care services, particularly in rural and other medically underserved communities. <strong>See AHA resources on the detrimental impact of </strong><a href="/advocacy/advocacy-issues/2023-09-11-advocacy-issue-site-neutral-payment-proposals"><strong>site-neutral policies</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><h3>Protect the 340B Drug Pricing Program</h3><p>For more than 30 years, the 340B Drug Pricing Program has provided financial help to hospitals serving vulnerable communities to manage rising prescription drug costs. However, some in Congress and the pharmaceutical industry want to see the program scaled back. <strong>Congress should protect the 340B program</strong> for all providers and ensure the program continues to help stretch limited resources and provide more comprehensive services to more patients. <strong>Download the AHA fact sheets on the </strong><a href="/340b-drug-savings-program"><strong>340B program</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><h2>Further Questions</h2><p>Visit the <a href="/advocacy/action-center">AHA Action Center</a> for more resources on these issues and other priorities important to hospitals and health systems. Watch for more Action Alerts and resources from the AHA to assist your advocacy efforts. If you have further questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2025/02/Contact-Your-Lawmakers-and-Urge-Them-to-Extend-Key-Health-Care-Policies-Set-to-Expire-Next-Month.pdf" target="_blank" title="Click here to download the Action Alert ACTION NEEDED: Contact Your Lawmakers and Urge Them to Extend Key Health Care Policies Set to Expire Next Month PDF."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Page-1-Contact-Your-Lawmakers-and-Urge-Them-to-Extend-Key-Health-Care-Policies-Set-to-Expire-Next-Month.png" data-entity-uuid="2dd3d759-0b56-4a54-8cdb-d635ee169360" data-entity-type="file" alt="Action Alert: ACTION NEEDED: Contact Your Lawmakers and Urge Them to Extend Key Health Care Policies Set to Expire Next Month page 1." width="696" height="900"></a></p></div></div></div> Fri, 07 Feb 2025 15:04:02 -0600 Telehealth