ICYMI: PAVC Launches #TelehealthTuesday To Recognize Benefits of Virtual Care, Need for Permanent Expanded Access

First #TelehealthTuesday highlights the over 14 million Medicare FFS beneficiaries who received virtual care from March to December  2020

Washington, D.C – Yesterday, the Partnership to Advance Virtual Care (PAVC), a Telehealth Access for America member, launched #TelehealthTuesday, which aims to demonstrate the integral role of telehealth in providing quality care during the pandemic and the opportunity for continued care following the public health emergency. For this campaign, a new data visualization will be released on PAVC’s website each week. 

For the first #TelehealthTuesday, PAVC highlighted how the flexibilities implemented by Congress and the executive branch in response to the pandemic “allowed telehealth services to offset the dramatic drop in in-person care for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries that was seen at the start of the pandemic.” As the data visualization showcases, “from March through December of 2020, over 14 million Medicare FFS beneficiaries received care via telehealth.”

This data visualization and broader #TelehealthTuesday campaign underscores the need for urgent action from Congress to protect telehealth access nationwide. Telehealth has helped patients achieve better health outcomes, increased health equity, lowered costs, and improved quality of life. The majority of voters (78 percent) agree, and are in support of passage of legislation to permanently protect telehealth access. The time for Congress to act is now. 

ABOUT TELEHEALTH ACCESS FOR AMERICA

Telehealth Access for America (TAFA) is a public education campaign supported by leaders in health care committed to better care, expanded patient choice, and protecting access to critical telehealth services.

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