AASM pushes for permanent telehealth coverage 

DARIEN, Ill. – The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has issued a new position statement calling for permanent telehealth coverage, emphasizing its essential role in providing high-quality, patient-centered care for individuals with sleep disorders. 

The AASM says the position statement, published as an accepted paper in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, comes at a crucial turning point as current telehealth flexibilities implemented by the CMS in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency are set to expire at the end of December. 

“Sleep medicine is uniquely suited for telehealth delivery due to limited provider access, safety concerns with sleepy patients and the availability of remote patient monitoring for treatment management,” said Dr. Kunwar Praveen Vohra, lead author and member of the AASM Advocacy Committee. “The minimal need for repeated physical examinations in sleep medicine makes it an ideal field for telehealth implementation.” 

The AASM calls for stakeholders to address several key areas to optimize telehealth services, including payment models, interstate care regulations, technology access and prescribing practices. The organization emphasizes the importance of payment parity between audiovisual and in-office visits to ensure financial viability. 

The association demonstrates that digitally delivered care is equally effective in improving sleep quality, and it can advance health equity, further reinforcing the need for permanent coverage. It says telehealth integration also tackles critical health care challenges by expanding patient access, boosting clinician efficiency, and enhancing patient safety. 

“Telehealth eliminates the need for sleepy patients to drive to appointments, reducing crash risks while facilitating access to care for underserved populations,” Vohra said. “This is particularly important for patients with conditions like sleep apnea and narcolepsy who experience excessive daytime sleepiness.” 

• Related: AAHomecare recently joined 62 other organizations and health care providers in asking congressional leadership to extend the telehealth flexibilities that are set to expire Dec. 31 for at least two additional years.