AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, issued the following statement regarding House passage of the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act of 2022:
“The AAMC applauds the House for passing the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act of 2022, which will extend coverage of telehealth services under Medicare until at least December 31, 2024. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, patients nationwide have benefited from increased access to telehealth services and this bill will ensure that this crucial point of access continues.
The legislation serves as an important milestone for expanding telehealth services to more people in rural, urban, and other underserved communities by extending the suspension of geographic restrictions on patients. It also ensures access to critical services for patients by allowing Medicare to continue paying for audio-only services, including for behavioral health therapy.
Preserving these important gains will help the 20 million Americans living in rural areas and countless more who would benefit from extended, expanded access to telehealth care.
We commend the House for its bipartisan commitment to telehealth access, and we urge the Senate to act swiftly to pass this impactful legislation to help improve access to care for all people.”