May 8, 2024 Washington, DC–Statement from Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO, LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, including providers of home health and hospice care, on the House mark up of the “Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act”: 

“Our nonprofit, mission-driven members serve older adults wherever they call home. The Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act touches on several important issues that impact our members’ ability to deliver needed help and services. 

Telehealth authorities put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a tremendous need for greater access to services in numerous care settings, which was addressed through expanded use of telehealth. The flexibilities in place for several years now have allowed patients to receive care in their homes from a provider of choice – regardless of patient or provider location. 

This legislation is a realistic response to both providers’ and consumers’ needs. Telehealth is the new normal approach for delivering so much of care today. From the authorization of audio-only communications platforms to continuation of flexibilities for Medicare providers and recipients regarding mental health services and origination sites, this bill, if enacted, would bring efficiency and greater access for older adults in need of care and supports. 

This bill’s proposed two year extension of these valuable flexibilities, as well as its important guardrails on hospice providers’ ability to recertify beneficiaries via telehealth, is critical to ensuring the hospice benefit’s integrity, will help to ensure access to needed services. We will continue to work with policymakers to ensure this legislation is enacted while continuing our push for making these flexibilities permanent. ”