FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Media Contact:
Janelle Davis
(913) 912-0377
jdavis@aafp.org
(913) 906-6255

WASHINGTON – The COVID-19 pandemic opened up emergency flexibilities that have improved patients’ access to primary and preventive care. The American Academy of Family Physicians urges the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to make some of these changes permanent in order to advance health equity, protect patient safety, and enable clinicians to provide the right care at the right time beyond the current public health emergency (PHE).

In written and verbal testimony today at the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance’s hearing on COVID-19 health care flexibilities, family physician Kisha Davis, MD, called for telehealth policy that increases access to health care and promotes high-quality, comprehensive, continuous care. Further, she highlighted the need for Medicare and Medicaid to provide no-cost coverage of all vaccines recommend for adults, and the importance of lessening administrative burdens to allow physicians to have more time to focus on patient care.

“Over the last year, family physicians rapidly changed the way they practice to meet the needs of their patients amid a global pandemic,” said Davis. “Arguably, the most dramatic shift was the unprecedented uptake and increase of telehealth services.”

Prior to the pandemic, less than 15% of family physicians offered virtual visits for patients. This was in large part because of Medicare restrictions and inadequate reimbursement. Quick legislative and regulatory action early on in the pandemic enabled more than 90% of family physicians to provide virtual visits to their patients.

"While the rapid expansion of telehealth has yielded many benefits for patients and clinicians, not everyone has benefited equally. Without sufficient investment and thoughtful policies, telehealth could actually worsen health disparities," Davis said. “Telehealth, when implemented thoughtfully, can improve the quality and comprehensiveness of patient care and expand access to care for under-resourced communities and vulnerable populations.”

The AAFP called on lawmakers to adopt telehealth policies that enhance the physician-patient relationship rather than disrupt it, and incentivize coordinated, continuous care provided by the medical home.

“As a physician, I want telehealth to be a tool in my toolbox, and I want to choose when and how to deploy it based on my clinical judgment, not based on whether I will get paid,” said Davis.

Senate Finance Committee chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) praised the policy recommendations that Davis shared as “sensible.” He and numerous other Senators specifically agreed on the importance of preserving access to audio-only telehealth beyond the PHE. Finally, it was evident throughout the hearing that the Committee shares the AAFP’s interest in advancing health equity via the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

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