Telehealth News Roundup: The EASE Act, H@H Risk, and ViVE

Here is a glimpse into some of the latest headlines grabbing attention in the world of digital health and telehealth news:

The Equal Access to Specialty Care Everywhere Act

On January 30, 2024, the Equal Access to Specialty Care Everywhere (EASE) Act was introduced by a bipartisan group of US House representatives. The proposed legislation advocates for the creation of a virtual specialty network to expand access to specialist care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, using Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) funds earmarked to “test models and innovations that support access to integrated specialty care across the patient journey,” as Anuja Vaidya reports.

Might this be a step towards a national framework for virtual care access that extends beyond state borders, similar to what’s seen in Veterans’ care?

Read the mHeatlhIntelligence article here: US House Reps Introduce Bill to Expand Virtual Specialty Care Access

Is Hospital-at-Home at Risk?

Meanwhile, the clock is winding down on Acute Hospital Care at Home funding, slated to run out at the end of 2024. Designed to free up bed capacity by allowing select Medicare and Medicaid patients to recover at home, Hospital at Home is one of the few levers providers have to offset emergency department overcrowding. Concern about the future of the program is giving providers pause on implementing the solution. NBC reporter Erika Edwards notes that growing interest in the program may garner it a two-year extension or even permanency by the end of this year.

Read the NBC News article here: As ER overcrowding worsens, a program helping to ease the crisis may lose funding

Views from the ViVE Conference

Last but not least, the 2024 ViVE conference is officially a wrap, with recaps from the conference pouring in. Telehealth was a recurring theme in HealthLeaders editor Eric Wicklund’s write-up of five key takeaways from healthcare’s flashiest tradeshow. What do nurses in need of help, the call for more care at home, and health AI enablement all have in common? You guessed it: virtual care.

Read the HealthLeaders article here: Views from ViVE: 5 Top Talking Points in LA This Week