More than 65 million Americans rely on Medicare. However, without action from Congress, they’ll be losing a major benefit at the end of the year: telehealth.
A provision meant to be temporary allowing Medicare to cover telehealth for all medical specialties will expire at the end of 2024. When it does, telehealth for most specialties will no longer be covered.
It’s currently part of a policy change made at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services temporarily expanded telehealth coverage in March 2020. Congress passed a two-year extension in 2022.
Members of Congress have introduced multiple bills to preserve telehealth coverage. None have come to a vote yet in the House or Senate.
But for those looking for an extension, there are signs for optimism from across Washington.
In a stop at a hospital in upstate New York last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Medicare telehealth coverage needs to stay.
One bill in the House, the Telehealth Modernization Act from Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., has strong bipartisan support from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Carter told progressive news outlet Mother Jones that his bill is “critical legislation that will extend telehealth flexibilities to get Medicare beneficiaries the life-saving health care they need.”
Healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente also issued a statement in November 2024 saying it favors an extension to Medicare’s telehealth coverage.
Medicare patient advocates still have some concerns. Mother Jones reports they’re hoping Congress can ensure providers won’t use telehealth availability to provide lower-quality care or cut back on accessibility measures.
Congress may still include language governing telehealth into one of its large year-end must-pass spending bills to avoid a government shutdown.