Chicago-based American Hospital Association is urging Congress to extend pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities that are set to expire Sept. 30.
The waivers expanded access to care for millions of Americans and improved convenience for both patients and providers, according to a Sept. 15 letter to congressional leaders. The AHA is encouraging lawmakers to permanently adopt the waivers and expand the telehealth workforce, emphasizing the model’s ability to address provider shortages by leveraging geographically dispersed clinicians.
The association also noted that hospitals and health systems have invested heavily in telehealth infrastructure since the public health emergency, and that the sudden expiration of waivers would disrupt patient access and undermine progress in virtual care delivery.
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