AHA Expresses Support of H.R. 1110, the Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent (KEEP) Telehealth Options Act

February 22, 2023

The Honorable Troy Balderson
United States House of Representatives
2429 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Balderson:

On behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners – including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers – and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups, the American Hospital Association (AHA) writes in support of H.R. 1110, the Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent (KEEP) Telehealth Options Act.

Telehealth has provided a critical way for patients to continue to access needed care, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We greatly appreciate the flexibilities implemented during the public health emergency and recently extended through 2024, as they will allow hospitals and health systems to continue to provide virtual care for patients. This legislation would require the Department of Health and Human Services, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct studies to provide information about the expanded use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional data on telehealth uptake and usage is critical to help inform changes that will need to be addressed going forward to ensure patients can continue to access care through telehealth.

We appreciate your leadership on this important issue and look forward to working together to ensure passage of this legislation.

Sincerely,

/s/

Stacey Hughes
Executive Vice President