On August 3, President Trump signed an Executive Order on Improving Rural Health and Telehealth Access, aiming to expand rural health access and many of the telehealth policies put into place during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to be aware, however, that Congressional action is needed to extend telehealth services for FQHCs beyond the public health emergency declaration, a fact emphasized in the annual Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule issued shortly after the executive order. There are a number of efforts in Congress to address the need for an extension of Medicare telehealth services for FQHCs; an overview of NACHC supported bills can be found here. The proposed rule does include a provision to add Principal Care Management services for FQHCs and RHCs and to rebase the Medicare FQHC market basket.
