450+ Organizations Demand Immediate Congressional Action on Medicare Telehealth Access
A coalition of over 450 healthcare organizations, patient advocacy groups, and providers has sent an urgent letter to Congressional leadership calling for an immediate long-term fix to Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
The Crisis:
Congress failed to extend temporary telehealth flexibilities before they expired, resulting in an abrupt end to telehealth services for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. A Brown University research brief found that more than 4 million Medicare beneficiaries have lost access to telehealth services, while 30% of healthcare providers face financial disruptions from the lapse.
Why This Matters:
Telehealth serves as a critical lifeline for patients with barriers to in-person care, including those with:
- Frailty and weakened immune systems
- Neurodegenerative disorders
- Chronic conditions that make travel burdensome
What’s Being Requested:
The coalition urges Congress to:
- Immediately reinstate Medicare telehealth access in the next legislative package
- Establish a long-term, predictable framework (not just another temporary extension)
- Work with CMS to ensure retroactive payment for practitioners who maintained patient access during the lapse
The letter emphasizes that the cycle of last-minute temporary extensions has created ongoing disruptions for both patients and providers, forcing impossible choices between providing necessary care and financial sustainability.
The broad bipartisan support—spanning major health systems, medical associations, patient groups, and technology companies—underscores the urgency of establishing permanent telehealth access for Medicare beneficiaries.