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Support Telehealth Research and Advocacy: Help Drive Change
Access to quality healthcare should not depend on where you live or your ability to travel. Telehealth has revolutionized care delivery, bringing vital services to millions who need them most. But the future of telehealth hangs in the balance as Congress deliberates on extending key policy waivers.
At this pivotal moment, your support matters more than ever. By contributing to our research and advocacy efforts, you’re fueling the data-driven insights and policy recommendations needed to ensure telehealth continues to grow and serve patients equitably.
The proof is in the pudding…or the policy.
In 2001, Congress sought to enhance access to telehealth services by expanding reimbursement under Medicare. To understand the potential impact on the federal budget, Congress requested a score for telemedicine from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the agency responsible for assessing the costs of federal programs. The CBO determined that expanding access to telehealth services would increase Medicare spending and negatively affect the federal budget, resulting in a high cost estimate for telehealth. This outcome surprised Congress, as they recognized the critical role of telehealth in improving access to care for patients. However, the political climate at the time was unfavorable toward any legislation that would increase budgetary expenditures. Consequently, Congress implemented originating site barriers designed to intentionally suppress utilization and, in turn, control costs. This decision reflected their belief that restricting access to telehealth services would help manage expenses, even as they acknowledged the importance of telemedicine in enhancing healthcare access.
To address CBO’s initial concerns, CTeL began first-of-its-kind research surrounding cost data to support removing these barriers. CTeL and it’s independent research partners concluded its research in 2021. The research findings were submitted to the CBO, OMB, and Congress, which played an important role in supporting an extension of expanded telehealth reimbursement introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from CTeL’s research include:
Telemedicine saves costs to both Medicare and Medicaid with higher savings in more populous communities with fewer specialists that accept public insurance.
Telehealth is largely substitutive, not additive, and there was no evidence that service volume increased.
Telehealth did not increase the volume of fraudulent claims.
Telehealth increased access to care for underserved communities.
Your contribution helps advance the research necessary to make telehealth a sustainable and equitable solution for all.
Why Your Donation Matters
Without action from Congress, millions could lose access to the telehealth services they rely on, especially in rural and underserved areas. Your support ensures that we can continue to fight for the research and policy changes necessary to prevent this from happening:
🔍 Advance Research
Your gift empowers us to explore how digital health can break down barriers to care, improve health outcomes, and reduce disparities in underserved communities.
📣 Strengthen Advocacy
We use evidence-based findings to educate policymakers and champion legislative change. With your help, we can make the case for extending telehealth waivers and implementing permanent reforms.
💡 Drive Innovation
Support allows us to evaluate cutting-edge telehealth technologies, ensuring they are safe, effective, and accessible to all.
Be a Part of Shaping the Future of Healthcare.
Telehealth is reshaping the healthcare landscape, offering new possibilities for access, convenience, and quality of care. To unlock its full potential and address pressing questions about its impact, we need your support. High-quality research is essential to guide informed decisions, improve patient outcomes, and sustain telehealth's growth.
With the help of Charm Economics, a trusted leader in health economics research, we are tackling key challenges facing telehealth today. Your contribution will directly support pivotal studies that aim to drive evidence-based innovation in telehealth policy and practice.
Why Your Support Matters
Research efforts like ours require collaboration and investment from the telehealth community. By supporting this initiative, you’re helping us to:
Understand how telehealth adoption is transforming healthcare delivery.
Evaluate the quality of care provided through telehealth versus in-person visits.
Identify and address risks of fraud and abuse to build trust in telehealth systems.
Your generosity allows us to accelerate this critical work, ensuring that telehealth continues to evolve in a way that benefits patients, providers, and policymakers alike. Together, we can develop actionable insights that pave the way for a healthier, more accessible future.
Your contribution helps advance the research necessary to make telehealth a sustainable and equitable solution for all.
Why Support This Research?
The expiration of telehealth reimbursement flexibilities poses a significant threat to the financial well-being of healthcare practices across the country.
Many patients have come to rely on telehealth for their care – reimposing restrictions may disrupt patients’ continuity of care.
Returning to pre-COVID restrictions will undo the years of progress made by the telehealth community in advancing high-quality, equitable, and accessible care.
Reduced reimbursement for telehealth will stifle innovation in the development of new health technologies and modes of care delivery.
Every contribution helps us move closer to a future where telehealth is a permanent, integral part of healthcare delivery. Whether it's $10 or $10,000, your generosity fuels the progress we need.
Together, we can make telehealth accessible for everyone.