More than 200 advocates call on governors to retain telehealth flexibilities
More than 200 top healthcare groups and public companies are asking state governors to retain and expand state licensure exemptions facilitating access to telehealth services throughout the public health emergency, according to a recently published letter.
During the pandemic, many governors waived certain licensure requirements granting providers the flexibility to treat patients across state lines. The move provided “unprecedented” benefits, but many states have recently allowed COVID-19 emergency declarations to expire, stripping access to valuable telehealth services.
This has proven particularly costly for immunocompromised patients and those who require specialty care. In many cases, these individuals are driving across state lines to take telehealth appointments from their car, the Alliance for Connected Care, ALS Association and National Organization for Rare Disorders, who led the letter, noted.
“Given the urgency of the times as more states consider rolling back flexibilities enacted at the start of the pandemic, states must act now to ensure patients can access the care they need where they reside and when they need it, without having to choose between canceling an appointment or traveling long distances and risking potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus for an in-person visit,” the organizations wrote Oct. 28.
A laundry list of medical groups, hospitals and associations signed the letter, including Amazon, Duke University Health System, the Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and the Mayo Clinic.
Read the entire document here.
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.