Extending COVID Public Health Emergency telehealth waivers until December 2024 is necessary for providers and patients alike. So say scores of healthcare trade groups, including the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, in a Jan. 31 letter to congressional leaders. “We ask for your leadership in facilitating a pathway to comprehensive permanent telehealth reform that would provide certainty to beneficiaries and our nation’s health care providers while providing sufficient time for Congress and the Administration to analyze the impact of telehealth on patient care,” the letter says. “Virtual care is now a fundamental part of the U.S. health care system, and it will improve patient access to high-quality care well beyond the COVID-19 pandemic,” the letter urges Sens. Chuck Schumer (D) and Mitch McConnell (R) and Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D) and Kevin McCarthy (R).