HRPA Urges Congress to Extend Telehealth Benefits

HR Policy Association joined a broad coalition of business associations in a letter urging Congress to include a telehealth extension in any year-end legislation to enable employers to continue offering telehealth on a pre-deductible basis after 2024.

Why it matters: 36% of all U.S. workers with employer-sponsored health coverage are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan with access to a health savings account (HSA). Extending the telehealth option will enable employers to continue offering high-quality, cost-effective services, expanding access to behavioral health care as well as essential urgent and preventive care for employees and their families. 

The details: Before the CARES Act of 2020, employees with an HSA and high-deductible health plan were required to meet the minimum deductible before their plan covered telehealth services. 

• In response to the pandemic, this restriction was waived, allowing health plans to offer telehealth services pre-deductible. 

• The telehealth extension is set to expire at the end of 2024; however, Congress has extended this flexibility twice since the passage of the CARES Act.

Outlook: The broader public focus on mental health and wellbeing are likely to be influential factors as Congress considers the extension.