Reps. Lee, Steel Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Telehealth Access

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Reps. Susie Lee (NV-03) and Michelle Steel (CA-48) announced their introduction of the bipartisan Telehealth Expansion Act, which would permanently extend a CARES Act telehealth waiver to ensure that 35 million Americans continue to have affordable coverage of telehealth services. The CARES Act, a bipartisan bill signed into law in March 2020, allowed individuals with HSA-qualified high-deductible plans to access telehealth services before meeting their deductible. Without the Telehealth Expansion Act, an estimated 440,000 Nevadans would be at risk of losing first-dollar coverage of telehealth services when the waiver expires on Dec. 31, 2021.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans were able to access health care through telehealth," said Rep. Lee. "The pandemic pushed Congress to test out telehealth flexibilities that have proven to be effective in expanding access to quality, consistent, and affordable health care. However, these policies are set to expire. We can't afford to take a step backwards when it comes to expanding access to health care. Instead, we should ensure Nevadans and Americans across the country have every tool to access the health care they need – and that's just what this bill does."

"Telehealth has been life-changing for so many, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Rep. Steel. "Increased access to telehealth has benefited a wide range of Americans – from seniors to high-risk patients, to those in rural areas. Congress must act to ensure that the millions of Americans to who have utilized this provision do not lose their access to telemedicine."

"The American Telemedicine Association applauds Rep. Michelle Steel and Rep. Susie Lee for introducing this bipartisan legislation to allow first-dollar coverage of virtual care under high-deductible health plans, which would ensure patients nationwide have access to safe, quality care via telehealth without the burden of first meeting a deductible," said Kyle Zebley, Vice President of Public Policy at the American Telemedicine Association. "It is essential that this legislation is passed to address significant barriers that prevent many Americans from accessing effective and appropriate care."

"The Partnership to Advance Virtual Care thanks Representatives Steel and Lee for their important work on this time-sensitive virtual care issue, which is not tied to the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency the way other telehealth provisions are," said Mara McDermott, Executive Director at Partnership to Advance Virtual Care. "By permanently extending the safe harbor allowing those with HSA-eligible HDHPs to have telehealth services covered on a first-dollar basis, this bipartisan legislation will ensure access to valuable telehealth services for millions of Americans with employment-based health coverage."

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress enabled employers to offer pre-deductible coverage for telehealth services, expanding access to care and reducing out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans," said Krista Drobac, Executive Director of Alliance for Connected Care. "The bipartisan Telehealth Expansion Act of 2021 will ensure individuals with HDHP-HSAs continue to have ready access to virtual-care services while remaining eligible to make and receive contributions to an HSA."

"Patients like telehealth, and the silly rules limiting access to telehealth and its use should be changed. Health Innovation Alliance is glad to see the leadership from Reps. Steel and Lee introducing the Telehealth Expansion Act in the House," said Brett Meeks, Vice President of Health Innovation Alliance. "Patients with health savings accounts should be able to use those accounts to pay for telehealth services, plain and simple. We support this legislation and ask Congress to take it up and pass it before the end of the year."

Over 70 health organizations and employers have urged Congress to extend this telehealth provision before it expires on December 31, 2021.

You can read more about the bipartisan Telehealth Expansion Act here.

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