U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) plans to soon reintroduce his HEALTH Act (H.R. 7187 in the 116th).
This bill would codify Medicare reimbursement for FQHCs and rural health clinics for telehealth services. The bill would permanently allow FQHCs/RHCs the ability to provide telehealth services under Medicare. A change from the earlier bill is that reimbursement, instead of being associated with the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, would be at the same level as if a Medicare beneficiary would receive the same services at a brick-and-mortar FQHC/RHC. The bill includes a provision to make permanent the waivers contained in the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020, relating to originating site rules (waivers which are otherwise in effect for the public health emergency period), specific to services where the FQHC/RHC is the distant site provider.