FCC Chairman Ajit Pai called upon Congress for additional flexibility to expand telehealth at a recent event. During the Axios event on the future of telehealth, Chairman Pai said that agencies should be granted more flexibility to expand telehealth after the public health emergency ends. In recent months, the FCC has distributed over $200 million in telehealth funding from the CARES ACT to 539 applicants.
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At the event, Chairman Pai spoke more about his personal connections to the issue, growing up in rural Kansas with physician parents, and stressed the importance of broadening healthcare access via telehealth. In one example, Chairman Pai spoke to the success of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ expansion of tele-mental health services, noting that many veterans felt more comfortable with virtual visits. Chairman Pai said that physicians have embraced the flexibility of telehealth due to the ability to fit patients in whenever they have spare time. Additionally, telehealth has expanded access for patients by cutting out the need to secure childcare or secure travel to and from appointments.
Chairman Pai called on Congress to expand flexibilities for telehealth granted during the public health emergency. He noted the FCC was able to open applications for telehealth funding a week after $200 million was appropriated by Congress in the CURES Act, and the agency has distributed funding for telehealth to 539 applicants in 47 states, D.C., and Guam. He clarified that state governments should also relax state licensing requirements to allow for telehealth to be provided across state lines. Chairman Pai stated that while FCC has made tremendous strides in the past few years — such as by increasing the budget for rural broadband expansion and implementing the connected care pilot program — there is still more work to do.
Following Chairman Pai, Zach Reitano, CEO of Ro, and Mario Schlosser, CEO of Oscar Health, added their perspectives on the future of telehealth after the pandemic. Mr. Reitano noted that the pandemic has shined a light on all the problems in the health care system and should serve as the catalyst for lasting change through telemedicine. Mr. Schlosser reported that 20 percent of in-person visits have shifted to telemedicine during the pandemic, while 30 percent remained in person and 50 percent disappeared altogether.