Regulatory Response to COVID-19 Speeding Telehealth
Federal and state response to the COVID-19 pandemic sped adoption of telehealth technologies, said panelists at a Brookings Institution webinar. Quick support from Congress, the FCC and Department of Health & Human Services allowed patients to access clinical care via broadband, smartphones and telephone during social distancing, speakers said. The FCC announced it granted $11.9 million, totaling $24.9 million to date. This fifth round in the $200 million program includes grants to 26 healthcare providers, five in Texas, five in California, and three in Pennsylvania.
Despite the pandemic's tremendous harms, this cataclysmic event could encourage stakeholders to make the leap to telehealth, said Chairman Ajit Pai. "The FCC is trying to take advantage of this huge moment to make that happen." Telehealth tech has improved exponentially over the past two decades, Pai said. He wants the FCC to allocate new wireless spectrum to support Wi-Fi and 5G to advance the use of remote patient monitoring and wearable digital health devices, he said. He said the upcoming Rural Digital Opportunity Fund should be used to support more rural clinics that could expand the use of telehealth in areas underserved by hospitals. Pai is monitoring others' regulatory actions that expand healthcare reimbursements and interstate licensing, calling it "an all-of-government approach."
"This pandemic has shown we need federal investment in broadband infrastructure," said Dana Lichtenberg, American Medical Association assistant director-congressional affairs. Telehealth has been "absolutely essential" in providing continued access to care for non-COVID-19 patients, she said. AMA issued guidance for telehealth during COVID-19.
Telehealth transcends geography, but there's too much regulatory complexity in providing care between states, said Ross Friedberg, chief legal and business affairs officer for virtual provider Doctor on Demand. "In a hurricane, we like to bring helpers from other states," he said, saying it should be easier to do the same with telehealth during a pandemic. Each state handles licensure waivers differently, he said.
Telehealth tech will move more quickly than regulation, said Jordan Roberts, John Locke Foundation healthcare policy analyst. He wants Congress to look at ways to keep patient data private and secure as telehealth expands.
Also Wednesday, Brookings published a report on removing regulatory barriers.