PAN submits letters to Congress in support of the Telehealth Modernization Act
The PAN Foundation submitted letters in support of the recently reintroduced bill H.R. 5081, the Telehealth Modernization Act, to members of the House and Senate.
The bill provides Congress with a clear pathway to ensure continued access to telehealth services under Medicare while broader discussions about permanent policy solutions move forward. The benefits of telehealth access are an essential part of our healthcare system. For example, studies show that telehealth has saved cancer patients more than 75,000 hours of roundtrip driving time and nearly $200 per visit in travel and lost productivity costs. Virtual care is particularly impactful for those living in rural areas and other hard-to-reach communities.
The Telehealth Modernization Act includes commonsense reforms such as eliminating geographic and originating site restrictions, allowing audio-only services, expanding the range of providers authorized to deliver telehealth, and delaying in-person visit requirements for virtual mental health services.
The PAN Foundation appreciates the leadership of the representatives who reintroduced the bill in protecting and advancing access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries and others. PAN looks forward to championing permanent expanded telehealth access under Medicare.