House panel advances bill to extend Medicare’s telehealth flexibilities, setting up December talks

A House committee on Wednesday advanced legislation that would extend Medicare telehealth flexibilities and a home hospital program adopted during the pandemic, the final step before the bills face a vote by the full House of Representatives.

Congress in 2022 extended pandemic-era flexibilities about where and what kinds of care Medicare enrollees could receive over telehealth. The two-year telehealth extension unanimously passed on Wednesday by the House Energy & Commerce Committee is very similar to bills advanced in May by Commerce’s health subcommittee and the House Ways & Means Committee. 

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The two bills set up the House position heading into negotiations with the Senate on extending the telehealth policies, which expire at the end of December. 

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