Medical Economics March 14, 2025
ATA policy chief explains congressional power to extend flexibilities that allow Medicare to cover online visits.
When the nation sheltered in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, health care did not stop.
Doctors and patients began meeting online to discern the best treatments and patient care. At the time, telehealth was not new, but it expanded to become a major part of the U.S. health care system.
Lawmakers granted flexibilities so Medicare could reimburse doctors for virtual visits and online health care. Since the pandemic waned and the COVID-19 public health emergency ended, those flexibilities have continued through extensions granted by lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
Telehealth...