On December 6, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released updates to the State Medicaid & CHIP Telehealth Toolkit: Policy Considerations for States Expanding Use of Telehealth to clarify that states may deliver covered services via audio-only telehealth both during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and beyond.
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) continues its ongoing advocacy on the federal side to improve permanent coverage and payment for telehealth. The AAFP advocates for policies that protect patients’ and physicians’ freedom to choose the most appropriate modality of care. The AAFP supports permanent removal of geographic and originating site restrictions for Medicare beneficiaries, permanent coverage of audio-only Evaluation and Management services, and standardized coverage and payment of telehealth services across payers, including required coverage of services provided by any in-network provider.