CLL Society believes that receiving care through telehealth should continue to be an option, especially for those who are immunocompromised. During the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury jointly stated that they would not enforce any penalties if employers wanted to offer telehealth services as a standalone benefit to their employees who were not eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance. This flexibility is set to expire when the PHE ends on May 11, 2023.
The Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2023 (H.R. 824) was recently introduced and would permanently ensure telehealth services as an inclusive benefit. With the PHE ending on May 11, passage of this legislation is essential to continue providing expanded, long-term access to telehealth services.
CLL Society signed on to a joint letter with other key stakeholders, organized by our friends at the Alliance for Connected Care, urging lawmakers to enact legislation that ensures telehealth services continue to be covered after the PHE ends.