During an interview with The Washington Post, Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), stressed that the Biden administration supports broadening the use of virtual care in the long term. Many provider groups want to see Congress and regulators permanently expand coverage for telehealth visits once the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.
More on Interview
As reported by Fierce Healthcare, there were many notable quotes from the Secretary. “We want to make sure that we don’t leave anybody behind and that telehealth is available to all Americans, universally, and that includes making sure quality broadband is out there for all communities, whether a rural part of the country or an inner-city poor area,” Becerra said.
He further noted the administration’s interest in ensuring equity and accountability if coverage is expanded. “We want to make sure Americans are getting a valuable service. We want to make sure that these providers are providing a service that might not have been available had we not had telehealth and also results in better quality services and treatment. We don’t want to be billed for things that don’t result in better health for Americans,” Becerra said.
There is a risk that a digital divide could widen health disparities in the U.S. as telehealth use grows, according to some experts. “Not under my watch,” Becerra said in response to a question about health inequities. “We’re going to do everything we can to include everyone.”
He also expressed support for audio-only telehealth. Becerra said, “This is a new type of healthcare, and it could be audio or visual. There are circumstances in which you don’t need a smartphone, any phone might be enough. We want to make sure we take advantage of all the technologies that let us communicate with each other and provide healthcare when possible.”
Physician licensure flexibilities are a different issue, however. During COVID-19, regulators lifted geographic limitations and waived license requirements to let patients schedule telehealth appointments with physicians across state lines. Becerra believes state-by-state physician licensure is a good thing by creating accountability.
“The farther you go away from the direct connection from patient and provider, the more difficult it will be to provide accountability quickly and fairly for the patient. If your doctor is 30 miles away and you live in rural America, we can track down that doctor, but if your doctor is 3,000 miles away, that’s a tougher sell for a consumer who is trying to get accountability for a service that was not properly provided,” Becerra said.