Telehealth Expansion

During the COVID-19 pandemic, laws were relaxed to allow providers to offer telehealth services without jeopardizing a health plan’s status as a high deductible health plan (HDHP)—and thus without jeopardizing individual participants’ rights to fund HSAs. Recent proposals have been developed and would extend this relief and expand the availability of telehealth services. The relief would, among other things, allow audio-only telehealth services. Additional proposals would suspend the limitations on subsequent inpatient treatment.

We asked two professors and authors of ALM’s Tax Facts with opposing political viewpoints to share their opinions about whether expanding telehealth options would have a positive impact.

Below is a summary of the debate that ensued between the two professors.