Millions face loss of telehealth benefits as Medicare coverage ends
- Nearly one in four Medicare patients currently use telehealth services.
- Congress is considering multiple bills to preserve these telehealth provisions.
- The upcoming cut in telehealth coverage will adversely affect millions of patients.
In the United States, Medicare patients will see a significant reduction in telehealth services starting January 1, affecting their access to digital healthcare just weeks before the deadline. Telehealth has played a critical role for individuals with mobility challenges and those in rural areas, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a marked increase in its utilization. Despite the bipartisan support for legislation aimed at extending telehealth flexibilities, multiple bills presented in Congress are still pending approval. Experts and patients alike are concerned about the implications of this impending cutoff on the healthcare landscape, particularly regarding patient access to necessary medical care that has been facilitated by telehealth options over the past few years.