Patient and Consumer Advocates: Congress Must Take Urgent Action to Avert Telehealth Cliff for Millions of Seniors in 13 Days

15+ Organizations Ask Congressional Leaders to Prevent Significant Disruption to Virtual Care for Patients

Washington, D.C. – Eighteen organizations representing patient and consumer communities sent a letter to Congressional leadership today urging them to extend critical Medicare telehealth flexibilities for as long as possible ahead of the December 31 expiration deadline. Should Congress fail to act, millions of patients, especially seniors, would face a sudden telehealth cliff, and significant disruption to the health care services they rely on.

The 18 signatories of the letter included: AARP, the American Heart Association, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the Eating Disorders Coalition, Epilepsy Foundation of America, the Immune Deficiency Foundation, the International Foundation for Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Arthritis, the Lupus Foundation of America, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the National Alliance for Caregiving, the National Association For Continence, the National Brain Tumor Society, the National Celiac Association, the National Down Syndrome Society,  the National Eczema Association, the National Headache Foundation, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the United Porphyrias Association. 

“On December 31, 2024, the Medicare telehealth flexibilities that millions of patients rely on will expire. Patients need certainty that they will be able to access care, and providers need certainty that they will be able to provide it. Congress must pass an extension of current flexibilities for as long as possible as they continue to work towards a permanent solution. We cannot allow patients, including seniors, to suddenly lose access to critical virtual care,” the letter writes.

“Medicare telehealth flexibilities are a lifeline for millions of patients. Recent data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) found that nearly 6 million seniors in traditional Medicare used telehealth last year,” the letter continues. “Telehealth increases access to care, helps lower costs, improves health outcomes and quality of life, and increases patient choice and care options, especially for many underserved populations.” 

The letter ends with an urgent call to action: “The patients, consumers and communities we represent need certainty. It is in the best interest of patients and providers nationwide that Congress extend telehealth flexibilities for as long as possible as they work toward ensuring telehealth becomes a permanent piece of the health care puzzle – or risk millions of patients losing access to the care they rely on.”

Read the full letter HERE and TAFA’s statement on the urgent need for action HERE. 

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.

Learn more at www.telehealthaccessforamerica.org.