In a Dec. 3 letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), the groups urged lawmakers to act before the policies expire on Dec. 31.
“Anything less than that will be highly disruptive to care delivery and will create an unnecessary level of uncertainty for clinicians and their patients,” the letter stated.
The signatories highlighted key policies they believe are essential to preserve, including:
- Allowing patients to access telehealth services from home rather than traveling to a healthcare facility.
- Expanding the range of healthcare providers eligible to offer telehealth, such as physical therapists and audiologists.
- Continuing telehealth payments for services delivered at rural health clinics.
- Waiving in-person requirements for mental health care provided via telehealth.
- Permitting audio-only telehealth visits for patients lacking reliable internet access.
- Maintaining programs like hospital care at home.
The letter noted that the Drug Enforcement Administration has already extended telemedicine prescribing rules through 2025, urging Congress to align its telehealth policies with that timeline.
Healthcare leaders also warned that ending these flexibilities would exacerbate challenges for patients, especially as they grapple with rising healthcare costs and inflation.
Signatories of the letter include organizations such as Cleveland Clinic; Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine; and Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care.
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