Advancing Access to Telehealth Act

This bill would permanently extend several Medicare telehealth flexibilities that were originally established during the COVID-19 public health emergency. It proposes to allow patients to receive telehealth services from their homes and would permit rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers to serve as distant sites for healthcare providers. Additionally, the legislation would expand the types of practitioners authorized to provide telehealth services to include audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.

This bill affects Medicare beneficiaries by allowing them to receive telehealth services from their homes. It also impacts healthcare providers and facilities, specifically rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists. These entities and practitioners are granted permanent authority to provide telehealth services under the Medicare program.

• Permanent extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities. The bill permanently extends several Medicare telehealth policies that were originally established during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
• Expanded provider sites for rural and community health centers. Rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers are authorized to serve as the distant site where the health care practitioner is located.
• Removal of geographic restrictions on beneficiary locations. The bill allows a beneficiary's home to serve as the originating site for all telehealth services, rather than limiting this option to specific types of care.
• Expansion of eligible telehealth practitioners. Audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists are permitted to provide services via telehealth under Medicare.

The bill permanently extends certain Medicare telehealth flexibilities that were originally authorized during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

This bill modifies Medicare coverage requirements by permanently extending several telehealth flexibilities originally authorized during the COVID-19 public health emergency. It expands existing regulations to allow rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, and additional types of healthcare practitioners to provide telehealth services, while also broadening the locations where beneficiaries may receive such care.

The bill aims to modify Medicare requirements to permanently extend various telehealth flexibilities originally established during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Its intent is to expand access to remote care by allowing more types of healthcare facilities and practitioners to provide services and by permitting beneficiaries to receive telehealth services from their homes.