Letter to Seema Verma, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Fitzpatrick, Axne Lead Call for Expanded Telehealth Services for Seniors during COVID-19 Pandemic

Letter

Dear Administrator Verma:

We are writing to share our support for allowing additional audiology and speech-language pathology services that are already covered under Medicare to be available to beneficiaries via telehealth for the duration of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE).

We appreciate that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided new authority and flexibility for Medicare beneficiaries to receive essential health care services via telehealth by utilizing Section 3703 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116-136), including enabling audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to provide Medicare Part B telehealth services during the PHE. Unfortunately, the current list of approved telehealth services does not adequately ensure Medicare beneficiaries have access to the range of clinically appropriate hearing, speech, language, cognition, and swallowing services they require.

There are a number of audiology and speech-language pathology services that can be provided under Medicare in-person that can also be provided remotely in a safe and effective manner. We recommend adding to the telehealth services list audiology codes representing core diagnostic tests for identifying the type, severity, and etiology of hearing loss or the need for further vestibular testing. We also recommend adding to the telehealth services list speech-language pathology codes representing evaluation and treatment of a broader range of speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing disorders, as well as those that relate to evaluating and treating individuals who need speech-generating devices.

At a time when individuals with hearing, communication, and swallowing disorders face even higher risk for isolation and depression, Medicare beneficiaries must have access to appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic services via telehealth to slow transmission of COVID-19 and ensure they receive medically necessary treatment to meet their functional goals. We understand that CMS can issue sub-regulatory guidance to provide better access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries who need the services of audiologists and SLPs. We strongly encourage you to issue such guidance to add further audiology and speech-language pathology codes to the authorized telehealth services list for its duration as soon as possible.

Again, thank you for your significant efforts to expand telehealth options for Medicare beneficiaries during the PHE. We look forward to the addition of all clinically appropriate audiology and speech-language pathology services to the telehealth services list as soon as possible to build on those efforts.

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