Resources & Reports

On June 13^th the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a federal health care fraud indictment against the founder and CEO of Done Global Inc., as well as the company’s clinical president, alleging the individuals were conspiring to commit health care fraud, amongst other charges. The issue has put the currently waived in-person requirements related to controlled substance prescribing in the spotlight due to the fact that the company was focused around Adderall (which is a Schedule II controlled substance) and other stimulant prescribing via telehealth.

On May 31, 2024, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which provided subsidies to households for broadband connectivity ended due to lack of additional funding.  Put into place as a replacement for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, the ACP helped over 23 million households in the United States.  With the end of this program, continued access to the internet is questionable for these households.

CCHP’s June Newsletter is here! This month’s topics include – Senate Finance Committee Weighs Telehealth Solutions to Combat Fentanyl Crisis and Improve Behavioral Health Services; HHS and CMS Finalize Rule to Ensure Non-Discrimination in Telehealth Services; CMS Proposes TEAM Model to Enhance Care Coordination and Telehealth Access for Medicare Patients; Medicare SBIRT Services Includes Telehealth for Enhanced Accessibility Through Dec. 31, 2024; Evaluating Telemedicine Disparities for NHPI Medicaid Beneficiaries in Washington State; Latest Policy Developments in CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder and Policy Trends Map.

A recent Data & Society research report titled, “Doing the Work: The Future of Therapeutic Labor, Teletherapy, and the Platformization of Mental Health Care”, provides interesting insights from the provider perspective regarding direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth, or as referred to in the report, platform therapy. The author, Livia Garofalo, interviewed over 50 mental health professionals with teletherapy experience; some working solely with DTC platform companies, others in private practice, as well as providers working with community health agencies. Overall, the report examines the DTC platform work environment to showcase impacts and implications that are important to the overall telehealth landscape.

The surge in telehealth use over the course of the pandemic spurred a subsequent rise in digital health startups and telehealth offerings from various businesses. Now, post-pandemic, the industry side of telehealth is witnessing a different type of wave with several reports of companies ending short-lived telehealth services. Last month, UnitedHealth Group’s Optum confirmed the end of their virtual care business, originally launched in 2021, followed by an announcement from Walmart stating they would be closing Walmart Health Virtual Care, also launched in 2021.