Once again, companies across the healthcare sector are appealing to Legislative leaders to expand healthcare flexibilities beyond the December 31 date, imploring Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N. Y., House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N. Y., to take action before year’s end. WHY IT MATTERSCompanies from beyond to Zoom, along with key health systems for as Cleveland Clinic and UCHealth, are asking for a two-year expansion of pandemic-era healthcare flexibilities. The signers ‘ letter on Tuesday, along with more than 60 of their peers, stated that” the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have already released a temporary rule extending the current policy flexibilities regarding telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances through the end of 2025.” HIMSS, parent firm of Healthcare IT News has also organized two initiatives. Companies will be asked to sign an appeal asking lawmakers to extend healthcare for at least one year or more in a collaborative effort that will run through December 11. The alliance may request organizations to do so in one open efforts that includes the Alliance for Connected Care, American Telemedicine Association, ATA Action, the Connected Health Initiative, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, the Health Innovation Alliance, and the Partnership to Advance Virtual Care. After the statutory deadline of December 31, 2024, both patients and practitioners seek assurance that services will continue uninterrupted. Patients across the nation can get access to critical health care even when they have challenges obtaining in-person care, such as weakened immune systems, transportation challenges, geographic distance, and more, thanks to improved access to telehealth services, they said in the letter. In a previous HIMSS Legislative Action Center campaign for the organization’s members, the organization said more than 1, 000 letters were sent. That campaign asked lawmakers for a two-year extension. With 27 days left, Congress should act, according to ATA, which has been leading a campaign to secure telehealth access in the post-pandemic era. ” The ball is squarely in Congress ‘ court”, Kyle Zebley, senior vice president of public policy, the ATA and executive director of ATA Action, said in a statement. CAT predicted bipartisan support for telehealth and virtual care services to continue through the final days of the Biden Administration and the transition to the Trump Administration on January 20, 2025, following the 2024 election. Legislators were quickly urged to be prepared for the deadline for telehealth flexibilities by ATA and ATA Action. Zebley had urged Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to act quickly to advance a bill extending telehealth flexibilities and get it to President Biden’s desk for signature before year-end. ON THE RECORD”By eliminating lingering uncertainties around telehealth access, including through Medicare and tax policy provisions, policymakers can ensure the uninterrupted delivery of safe, convenient, and timely virtual care services, support overburdened healthcare providers, and provide clinically appropriate care to millions of patients in need”, Zebley said in a statement. The nonprofit said in a statement on Thursday that” HIMSS strongly supports extending and eventually making the telehealth waiver permanent.” It is irresponsible policy to end four years of improved access to care that has shown to be beneficial for patient safety, prevention, and outcomes management and sends us backward on the journey the U.S. has begun in the direction of digital health transformation. No one wants to go backward “.This article was updated on December 5, 2024, to include a new statement from HIMSS. Andrea Fox is the publisher of Healthcare IT News. Email: afox@himss .org Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.