Alliance Leads National Coalition for Continued Telehealth Flexibilities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2024

(Alexandria, VA and Washington, D.C.) - The National Alliance for Care at Home(the Alliance) is spearheading a national coalition of hospice, home health, and palliative care organizations to urge Congress to extend vital telehealth flexibilities that have enhanced both hospice and home health care across the United States. These flexibilities, which are set to expire at the end of 2024, have allowed providers to conduct face-to-face (F2F) recertification visits remotely, reducing administrative burdens and improving patient access to essential care services.

The extension of these telehealth provisions is addressed in bipartisan and bicameral legislation, including H.R. 8261 - the Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, which was unanimously passed out of the House of Representatives' Ways & Means Committee earlier this year. Both hospice and home health communities have widely adopted these flexibilities, which have proven critical to improving the efficiency of care and patient outcomes. The Alliance calls on lawmakers to ensure that the F2F telehealth flexibility is included in any upcoming legislative package.

"Telehealth has transformed care delivery in both hospice and home health, particularly in rural and underserved areas," said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO for the Alliance. "Virtual F2F recertifications have freed up clinicians to focus more on urgent patient care and this flexibility has allowed providers to continue serving patients efficiently and safely. Both sectors have seen improvements in access to care and a reduction in unnecessary travel burdens for providers and families."

The Alliance remains steadfast in advocating for the swift extension of these telehealth provisions to ensure that providers can continue delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. The coalition's letter, signed by 39 national and state organizations, underscores the importance of these flexibilities in maintaining access to care, especially for vulnerable populations.

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About the National Alliance for Care at Home
The National Alliance for Care at Home(the Alliance) is a new national organization representing providers of home care, home health, hospice, palliative care, and other health care services mainly delivered in the home. The Alliance brings together two organizations with nearly 90 years of combined experience: NAHC and NHPCO. NAHC and NHPCO are in the process of combining operations to better serve members and lead into the future of care offered in the home. Learn more at  www.AllianceForCareAtHome.org. 

Press Contacts
Elyssa Katz, NHPCO Marketing and Communications Manager 
[email protected]| 571-281-0220

Thomas Threlkeld, NAHC Director of Communications
[email protected]| 202-547-7424