The federal government is shut down and the ripple effects are being felt. Legislation tied to the budget impasse also means Medicare telehealth flexibilities and the Acute Hospital Care at Home program expired early Wednesday morning.
“Most providers and hospital systems are taking calculated risks to continue care during this time, but long-term continuity depends on action by our telehealth champions in Washington to restore these flexibilities and ensure retroactive reimbursement,” says Kyle Zebley, senior vice president, public policy at the American Telemedicine Association.
Right before the shutdown he talked to hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter about the situation. “The stakes are enormous. We’re talking about millions of Americans…having access to the telehealth services. It’s a tremendous setback for our community.”
