March 14, 2024 - MGMA urges permanent telehealth reform

March 12, 2024 

Re: MGMA Statement for the Record – House Committee on Ways and Means’ Hearing, “Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities”

Dear Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Neal:

The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) thanks you for holding this important hearing examining ways to enhance access to home care for patients in rural and underserved communities. Telehealth services provide a vital lifeline to patients in their homes across the nation and ensure continuity of care no matter where they may be located. We appreciate your leadership in holding this important hearing to discuss ways to bolster home care — permanently instituting many of the telehealth policies currently in place would help accomplish this goal.

With a membership of more than 60,000 medical practice administrators, executives, and leaders, MGMA represents more than 15,000 group medical practices ranging from small private medical practices to large national health systems, representing more than 350,000 physicians. MGMA’s diverse membership uniquely situates us to offer the following policy recommendations.

Patients in rural and underserved areas have been able to receive high-quality care in their home through the expansion of telehealth services over the past few years. Maintaining access to these vital services is essential to augment in-person care and ensure patients do not face unnecessary barriers such as having to travel significant distances to receive necessary medical care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) instituted numerous temporary telehealth polices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to these policies, telehealth services in Medicare were rarely used given geographic, originating site, and other restrictions. This expansion has been a demonstrable success and allowed medical groups to continue serving their communities through the appropriate utilization of telehealth services.

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