Stakeholders: CMS’ Refusal To Extend Audio-Only Care Will Hike Health Disparities

Telehealth stakeholders say CMS’ decision not to extend audio-only telehealth codes on a temporary basis until the end of 2023 in the final physician fee schedule released Tuesday (Nov. 1) will exacerbate health disparities for patients of lower socio-economic classes that lack broadband access and have poor digital literacy. Passage of legislation extending COVID-19 pandemic telehealth waivers prior to the end of the 151-day extension is now the only way to prevent underserved patients from facing a “telehealth cliff,” they...