If lawmakers don’t step in, key telehealth services for Medicare patients could be cut off as early as March.
In a Feb. 24 letter to congressional leaders—Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader John Thune, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries—the group called for long-term or permanent telehealth policies. They argue that telehealth helps patients who struggle to visit a physician in person due to illness, transportation issues or living in rural areas.
“Both patients and practitioners seek assurance that services will remain available,” the letter states, stressing that telehealth is a “lifeline” for many.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth services were expanded, and in 2022, Congress extended those benefits through 2024. However, some of those services ended in December, and more are set to expire in March unless Congress takes action.
The letter warns that without new legislation:
- Medicare patients could lose access to virtual physician visits.
- Physicians and hospitals may stop investing in telehealth services, especially in rural areas.
- Healthcare workers could face extra stress without telehealth as a staffing option.
While long-term legislation could take time, advocates are urging lawmakers to act now to prevent patients from losing access in March.
Congress has yet to announce plans to extend telehealth services.
Signatories of the letter include health systems such as Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger; Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine; Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic; and Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham.
