Over 370 organizations and trade groups in the telehealth industry signed a joint letter requesting the US Senate to extend telehealth policies introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Waivers introduced during the state of “Public Health Emergency” are set to expire in January 2023. 

The joint letter, co-led by 8 different organizations and alliances, requests that the Senate pass legislation that would extend telehealth flexibilities for two years while also working on more permanent legislative extensions. Healthcare giants such as Google, Amazon, CVS, and Walmart are also a part of this lobby group. 

The lobbying group is looking to extend flexibilities such as waivers on provider and patient location limitations, removal of in-person requirements, access to prescribed controlled substances, and access to telehealth services for individuals with high deductible health plans. 

Analyst Quicktake: In July 2022, the House of Representatives voted to extend these waivers into 2024 with 416 voting for and 12 voting against. Given the strong bipartisan support, most speculators believe that legislation will be passed in the Senate to extend the benefits that were set to expire in early 2023. This legislation could prove crucial for the telehealth industry as the lobby group’s letter states that uncertainty regarding the future of telehealth is affecting current innovation efforts. Additionally, in March 2022 an American Medical Association survey revealed that the “rollback of COVID-19 waivers, coverage, and payment policies” was cited as the biggest barrier to offering telehealth services according to 77% of the sampled US physicians.