Trump Administration Proposes to Expand Telehealth Benefits Permanently for Medicare Beneficiaries Beyond the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

The American Counseling Association (ACA) has been tirelessly advocating for the extension of the national health emergency declaration, which would allow licensed professional counselors to engage in telebehavioral health services for those outside of the counselor's practice jurisdiction (i.e. state lines). Our short term goal had been to extend the emergency declarations for another 90 days and we were successful in that endeavor. Our long term goal is to have the telebehavioral health flexibilities available under the declaration made permanent.

In response to the value telehealth has shown during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed to permanently extend Medicare coverage of telebehavioral health services, as well as implement other flexibilities so that Medicare beneficiaries living in all areas of the country can receive convenient, high-quality care from the comfort of their home.

Comments on the proposed regulations are due October 5, 2020. If you would like to submit comments regarding the proposed regulation, we have provided you with some talking points to help craft your message. Although bullets points are provided, you are encouraged to share your personal story.

While we are optimistic about the proposed rule, we would like to emphasize that this is a proposal and that nothing has become permanent. As ACA continues to push for full inclusion of professional counselors as Medicare providers, this would be an additional benefit and the first step towards what we hope will be even greater opportunities for our members and other professional counselors.

Information from CMS, who is now advocating for our goal to have the emergency declarations made permanent, is available. ACA will continue to monitor the proposal and we will keep you updated on its progress.

If you would like to become involved in ACA’s advocacy efforts, please contact us at advocacy@counseling.org