Payer and provider organizations across the country urged CMS to include audio-only visits in Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment policies.
In a June 3 letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and recently appointed CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, organizations including the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and America's Health Insurance Plans said that only including video-enabled telehealth visits in the policies posed disadvantages to communities facing health disparities.
"Forty percent of Medicare Advantage enrollees earn less than $25,000 annually, and of those, thirty-five percent do not have access to broadband internet in their homes," the letter said. "For millions of seniors, audio-only telehealth is the only safe and available option to receive care."
The letter also said that including both video and audio services under risk adjustment ensures that physicians and care teams are receiving all necessary patient information, resulting in fair out-of-pocket costs.