PCC Telehealth Statement (October 2020)

The Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) welcomed the Taskforce for Telehealth Policy’s (TTP) charge in June to examine key considerations that are front-of-mind for primary care in the age of COVID: how does telehealth impact quality, coordination, and costs? The Taskforce’s final report offers initial findings and recommendations that should be considered as policymakers chart the road ahead for telehealth now and post-pandemic. Many of these are sensible and important, while a few recommendations need further shaping. In light of the TTP’s final report, PCC calls on policymakers to:

1. Embed telehealth within existing advanced primary care and alternative payment models
2. Continue to provide telehealth parity until a COVID-19 vaccine is widely distributed
3. Support comprehensive, prospective payment for primary care that allows for flexible integration of telehealth
4. Address the underlying factors that contribute to and exacerbate health inequities, including those that are connected to telehealth