SHRM urges you to contact your senators and representatives in Congress to support the bipartisan Telehealth Expansion Act of 2023 (H.R. 1843/S. 1001). This legislation would permanently extend pre-deductible coverage of telehealth services for workers with high-deductible health plans and health savings accounts (HDHP-HSAs), which are scheduled to expire on December 31, 2024. This legislation would ensure employers retain a valuable benefit offering that helps to bridge the gap in access to care and protects employees from losing pre-deductible flexible coverage.

Pre-deductible coverage, also known as first dollar coverage, helps employees access telehealth services by allowing health insurance providers to cover telehealth services without requiring the plan participant to first pay their copay or deductible, minimizing out-of-pocket costs for workers.

Given the rapid growth in demand for telehealth, this legislation’s permanent extension of pre-deductible coverage for high-deductible health plans will give employers flexibility and help ensure that their employees have access to critical health care, including mental health services.

As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM believes that ensuring greater access to quality telehealth and mental health care is essential for fostering a healthy and productive workforce. We believe Congress should enact this legislation without delay to prevent a lapse in telehealth coverage for millions of American workers.

We are ready to work with lawmakers to enact this critical legislation and ensure continued access to important healthcare services for workers and their families. SHRM offers its expertise as a resource to policymakers in developing effective and sustainable solutions to improve access and quality of mental healthcare nationwide.