PCHAlliance and HIMSS Support eTREAT
In a letter submitted to the U.S. Senate, PCHAlliance, HIMSS and nine other organizations urged the Senate Finance Committee to include the Expanding Telehealth Response to Ensure Addiction Treatment Act (eTREAT) in the final package of legislation aimed at addressing the country’s opioid addiction crisis. This language will address unmet treatment needs of Medicare beneficiaries with substance abuse disorder by expanding access to care through telemedicine. The "eTREAT Act," based on Section 11 of the CONNECT Act, expands eligibility from opioid abuse to substance abuse, and eliminates the rural and originating site restrictions completely rather than giving the Secretary the authority to waive them.
This is very exciting progress and hopefully lays the groundwork for future erosion of 1834(m) restrictions.