The House Energy & Commerce Committee officially announced late Monday it will hold a long-awaited markup Wednesday to extend telehealth provisions for two years, and a day earlier the full House will vote Tuesday on two smaller virtual care measures under a streamlined suspension process. Lawmakers are racing against the clock to pass legislation that would extend pandemic telehealth flexibilities beyond the end of the year after stakeholders have repeatedly signaled a lapse in virtual health services would cut off thousands of patients from necessary care.
The E&C markup on Wednesday (Sept. 18) at 10 a.m. will include the Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024, among other health bills, which would extend pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities for two years.
A day earlier, two telehealth bills are set to be voted on under suspension on the House floor after passing out of E&C committee in June.
The Telehealth Enhancement for Mental Health Act of 2024 would establish a Medicare modifier for telemental health services and require HHS to provide guidance on facilitating telemental health services for patients with limited English proficiency and that are visually or hearing impaired.
HHS also would be required to provide communication regarding interstate licensure requirements and providers would be mandated to include whether they offer telehealth services in their provider directories. The mental health bill likely wonât have a budgetary impact.
Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023 will also be on the floor Tuesday. The bill would require HHS to establish a task force to improve access to health care information technology for non-English speakers. The agency would be mandated to release best practices on integrating interpreters during a telemedicine appointment and provide mobile health vendors with guidance on how to serve patients with LEP.
But the bigger news for stakeholders is E&Câs official announcement late Monday that it will vote on a two-year extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
âThe Energy and Commerce Committee is continuing its work to deliver solutions and make life better for the American people. At this weekâs markup, we will consider more than a dozen bills, including legislation to repeal harmful regulations that are jeopardizing Americaâs economic and energy security, extend telehealth services for seniors, and continue to incentivize important innovation for pediatric rare diseases,â said Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA).
The Telehealth Modernization Act passed out of the E&C health subcommittee in May. In June, the full E&C abruptly canceled its scheduled markup of privacy and telehealth bills amid partisan squabbles over the private right of action provision in the proposed national privacy legislation.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) gave the two-year telehealth extension bill a $4 billion price tag, sources told Inside Health Policy in July, but at that point was still collecting additional research to adjust the final score. Sources said the billâs cost could reach $4.3 billion.
CBO has been looking for more information on telehealth payment rates, substitution effects and downstream spending to reduce uncertainty in its models to more accurately score the cost of telehealth extension legislation.
House Slates Votes On Smaller Virtual Care Bills In Run-up To Telehealth Extension Markup
Inside Health Policy
September 17, 2024 10:25 am
The House Energy & Commerce Committee officially announced late Monday it will hold a long-awaited markup Wednesday to extend telehealth provisions for two years, and a day earlier the full House will vote Tuesday on two smaller virtual care measures under a streamlined suspension process. Lawmakers are racing against the clock to pass legislation that would extend pandemic telehealth flexibilities beyond the end of the year after stakeholders have repeatedly signaled a lapse in virtual health services would cut off thousands of patients from necessary care.
The E&C markup on Wednesday (Sept. 18) at 10 a.m. will include the Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024, among other health bills, which would extend pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities for two years.
A day earlier, two telehealth bills are set to be voted on under suspension on the House floor after passing out of E&C committee in June.
The Telehealth Enhancement for Mental Health Act of 2024 would establish a Medicare modifier for telemental health services and require HHS to provide guidance on facilitating telemental health services for patients with limited English proficiency and that are visually or hearing impaired.
HHS also would be required to provide communication regarding interstate licensure requirements and providers would be mandated to include whether they offer telehealth services in their provider directories. The mental health bill likely wonât have a budgetary impact.
Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act of 2023 will also be on the floor Tuesday. The bill would require HHS to establish a task force to improve access to health care information technology for non-English speakers. The agency would be mandated to release best practices on integrating interpreters during a telemedicine appointment and provide mobile health vendors with guidance on how to serve patients with LEP.
But the bigger news for stakeholders is E&Câs official announcement late Monday that it will vote on a two-year extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
âThe Energy and Commerce Committee is continuing its work to deliver solutions and make life better for the American people. At this weekâs markup, we will consider more than a dozen bills, including legislation to repeal harmful regulations that are jeopardizing Americaâs economic and energy security, extend telehealth services for seniors, and continue to incentivize important innovation for pediatric rare diseases,â said Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA).
The Telehealth Modernization Act passed out of the E&C health subcommittee in May. In June, the full E&C abruptly canceled its scheduled markup of privacy and telehealth bills amid partisan squabbles over the private right of action provision in the proposed national privacy legislation.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) gave the two-year telehealth extension bill a $4 billion price tag, sources told Inside Health Policy in July, but at that point was still collecting additional research to adjust the final score. Sources said the billâs cost could reach $4.3 billion.
CBO has been looking for more information on telehealth payment rates, substitution effects and downstream spending to reduce uncertainty in its models to more accurately score the cost of telehealth extension legislation.