WASHINGTON D.C. – July 23, 2026 – In a powerful display of unity, a coalition of over 200 leading healthcare organizations, clinicians, and patient advocacy groups, spearheaded by the Alliance for Connected Care and proudly including Epilepsy Alliance America, converged on Capitol Hill today. Their urgent message to Congress: end the cycle of temporary extensions and enact permanent Medicare telehealth coverage before current flexibilities expire on December 31, 2027.
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The gathering saw patients, providers, and healthcare system leaders join bipartisan Members of Congress to deliver the "Telehealth Voters Pledge," a comprehensive appeal for lasting legislative action. This pivotal event underscored the critical role telehealth has assumed in the American healthcare landscape, transforming from a pandemic-era necessity into an indispensable pillar of care delivery for millions.
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Main Facts: A Unified Call for Lasting Access
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The core of today’s message was unequivocal: telehealth is no longer a temporary solution but a fundamental component of modern healthcare infrastructure. The Telehealth Voters Pledge, representing a diverse cross-section of the healthcare community, calls for a definitive legislative solution to secure permanent Medicare coverage for virtual care services. This move is aimed at providing much-needed stability for both patients and providers, eliminating the recurring anxiety and disruption caused by expiring short-term extensions.
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Chris Adamec, Executive Director of the Alliance for Connected Care, articulated the coalition’s frustration and determination. "We saw what happens when Medicare telehealth coverage lapses; real patients lost real access in 2025," Adamec stated emphatically. "Congress has the evidence, the coalition, and the runway to fix this before it happens again. There’s no excuse to wait until this care is about to expire again to act. We’ve patched Medicare telehealth access together with short-term extensions for too long. Today, more than 200 organizations are telling Congress to stop kicking the can down the road, and make this permanent."
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The bipartisan support for the initiative was evident with the event being sponsored by Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA), and featuring Representative Carol Miller (R-WV) as a key speaker. Their presence highlighted the consensus across the political spectrum regarding the vital importance of telehealth access, transcending partisan divides to focus on patient well-being and healthcare efficiency.
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Chronology: The Evolution and Peril of Telehealth Policy
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The journey of telehealth in the U.S. has been marked by rapid acceleration, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before 2020, Medicare coverage for telehealth was largely restricted, often requiring patients to be in rural areas and at specific originating sites like clinics or hospitals. The public health emergency (PHE) declared in 2020 dramatically expanded these flexibilities, allowing patients nationwide to access virtual care from their homes and broadening the scope of services covered. This immediate expansion proved vital in maintaining continuity of care while minimizing infection risks.
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However, these expanded flexibilities were tied to the duration of the PHE and subsequent legislative actions. As the PHE eventually wound down, Congress intervened with short-term extensions to prevent an abrupt end to these services. One such extension was set to expire at the end of 2024, leading to a temporary lapse in certain telehealth coverages in early 2025. This lapse, though brief, served as a stark warning. Patients experienced confusion, appointments were canceled, and providers scrambled to adapt, leading to disruptions in critical care pathways. This "gap organizers say Congress cannot afford to repeat" underscores the human cost of policy uncertainty.
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Currently, the latest round of telehealth flexibilities is slated to expire on December 31, 2027. This impending deadline has ignited the current push for permanent legislation. The coalition argues that continuous, reliable access is not merely a convenience but a fundamental right for patients, especially those managing chronic conditions, living in underserved areas, or facing mobility challenges. The recurring need for legislative intervention highlights a systemic issue: the current policy framework is reactive rather than proactive, creating a volatile environment for healthcare planning and delivery.
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Supporting Data: The Irrefutable Case for Permanent Telehealth
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The testimonies and positions of the coalition members paint a compelling picture of why permanent Medicare telehealth coverage is not just beneficial, but essential. From addressing the nation’s mental health crisis to ensuring equitable access for the elderly and those in rural communities, the arguments are multifaceted and deeply rooted in patient needs.
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Addressing the Mental Health Crisis:nDebbie Witchey, President and CEO of the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), highlighted the dire need for accessible mental health services. "Nearly one in every four Americans, approximately 60 million people, experience a mental illness annually, and right now, there is only one mental health provider for every 340 people in the U.S.," Witchey explained. "Allowing permanent Medicare telehealth services and repealing the mental health services in-person requirement will protect access to care and ensure individuals start or continue their care without disruption." Telehealth has proven to be a lifeline for individuals seeking therapy, psychiatric consultations, and medication management, overcoming barriers of geography, stigma, and provider shortages. The ability to connect with a mental health professional from the privacy and comfort of one’s home has significantly increased engagement and reduced treatment gaps.
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Enhancing End-of-Life and Palliative Care:nFor individuals nearing the end of life, convenience and continuity of care are paramount. Bernadette Nunley, Chief Legal Advocacy Officer for Compassion & Choices, emphasized this aspect. "Compassion & Choices is committed to advocating for making Medicare telehealth coverage permanent," Nunley stated. "This access is important for ensuring that our constituencies are able to routinely check in with their clinicians without the burden of leaving home. Telehealth has been shown to expand access to palliative care specialists, hospice consultations, and symptom management, which is especially important for folks at end-of-life. Telehealth also makes the completion and periodic updating of advance care plans easier and therefore more likely." The ability to conduct these sensitive conversations and manage complex care needs virtually significantly reduces physical burden and stress for patients and their families.
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Protecting Seniors and Chronic Care Patients:nOlder adults, often managing multiple chronic conditions, disproportionately benefit from telehealth. Jon Thiboutot, President of Retail Health at CVS Health, spoke to this, noting, "It is time for permanent Medicare telehealth policy that protects access for older adults across the U.S. and reduces uncertainty for patients and providers alike. I’m proud that CVS Health has supported these flexibilities since the pandemic – we see every day how virtual care can remove barriers to getting help. Our MinuteClinic virtual care services, including mental health support, make it easier for all patients to get the care they need in ways that fit their lives." Telehealth minimizes the logistical challenges of transportation, mobility issues, and exposure to illness, allowing seniors to maintain regular contact with their healthcare teams.
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Telehealth as Infrastructure, Not Convenience:nMordy Eisenberg, Co-Founder of Tapestry Health, presented a powerful analogy, asserting, "Telehealth isn’t a convenience, it’s infrastructure. In skilled nursing and long-term care, virtual clinical access is often the difference between a resident being stabilized in their bed at 2 a.m. or being shipped to an ED for a condition that could have been managed on-site." This perspective highlights how telehealth functions as a critical component of care delivery, especially in settings where on-site specialist access may be limited. Preventing unnecessary emergency department visits not only improves patient outcomes but also reduces healthcare system strain and costs. Eisenberg further emphasized the bipartisan nature, stating, "Permanent telehealth access isn’t a partisan issue. It’s a basic question of whether we believe frail elders and rural Americans deserve the same standard of care as everyone else."
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Ensuring Timely, High-Quality Care:nChad Ellimoottil, MD, MS, Medical Director of Virtual Care at University of Michigan Health, echoed the sentiment of necessity. "Permanent Medicare telehealth policy is essential to protecting access to timely, high-quality care for America’s seniors, and we are committed to educating voters and policymakers about the need to move beyond temporary extensions and create lasting statutory authority for telehealth in 2026." The consistent availability of telehealth enables proactive health management and timely interventions, crucial for preventing complications and improving overall health outcomes.
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Bridging Gaps in Rural and Underserved Communities:nThe Healthcare Leadership Council underscored telehealth’s role as an "essential lifeline" for vulnerable populations. "Telehealth has become an essential lifeline for Americans to access care, particularly those in rural and underserved communities where getting to or even booking in-person visits can be difficult. We are committed to working with policymakers to move beyond temporary extensions and establish permanent Medicare telehealth policies that provide certainty for patients and providers to strengthen care delivery nationwide," they stated. For these communities, telehealth can overcome geographic isolation and a scarcity of local specialists, bringing expert care directly to patients’ homes.
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Supporting Social Workers and Clients:nHeidi McIntosh, MSW, Chief Operating Officer of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), brought the perspective of frontline mental health providers. "The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) hears from social workers across the country about the importance and efficacy of telemental health. Social workers and their clients should not have to face recurring lapses in care while telehealth is not permanently extended. NASW is committed to making permanent telehealth a reality." Social workers often serve as crucial connectors to care, and the stability of telehealth directly impacts their ability to support clients effectively.
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The coalition’s commitments extend beyond advocacy to active engagement:
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- Educating voters and policymakers: Raising awareness about the benefits and necessity of permanent telehealth.
- Building momentum ahead of a fall legislative push: Coordinating efforts to influence legislative priorities.
- Preventing future lapses: Working to ensure that the 2027 deadline does not result in another disruption of care.
These activities are strictly nonpartisan, focusing solely on the policy merits and the undeniable positive impact of consistent telehealth access.
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Official Responses: Bipartisan Support and Industry Alignment
While direct quotes from the sponsoring Members of Congress were not provided in the immediate release, their sponsorship of the event and the presence of Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) clearly signal a bipartisan recognition of telehealth’s importance. The Alliance for Connected Care explicitly noted that Reps. Matsui and Thompson, alongside Rep. Miller, underscored the urgent need for permanent access and outlined new commitments to build momentum. This bipartisan backing is crucial for any successful legislative effort, especially in a politically charged environment.
The broad array of organizations signing the Telehealth Voters Pledge — encompassing patient advocacy groups like Epilepsy Alliance America, clinician associations, hospitals and health systems, and technology companies — demonstrates a near-universal consensus within the healthcare ecosystem. This collective voice represents millions of patients and thousands of providers who have directly experienced the benefits of telehealth. Their unified commitment to preventing future disruptions sends a powerful message that the status quo of temporary fixes is unsustainable and detrimental to public health.
Implications: The Future of Healthcare Hangs in the Balance
The stakes associated with the December 31, 2027, deadline are significant. Failure to enact permanent Medicare telehealth coverage would not only replicate the disruptions of 2025 but could also severely undermine the progress made in modernizing healthcare delivery.
For Patients: Without permanent coverage, millions of Americans, particularly seniors, those with chronic conditions, individuals with mental health needs, and residents of rural and underserved areas, face the potential loss of a vital care pathway. This could lead to delayed diagnoses, exacerbated health conditions, increased travel burdens, and a widening of health disparities. The uncertainty itself can be detrimental, causing patients to hesitate in seeking virtual care, even when available.
For Providers: Healthcare systems and individual clinicians require predictability to integrate telehealth effectively into their long-term care models. The constant threat of expiring flexibilities hinders investment in technology, training, and infrastructure necessary to optimize virtual care. It creates administrative burdens, disrupts care coordination, and can lead to provider burnout as they navigate ever-changing regulations. Moreover, it undermines efforts to recruit and retain providers in underserved areas, where telehealth is often a key tool for expanding reach.
For the Healthcare System: Permanent telehealth coverage offers the potential for greater efficiency, reduced costs associated with unnecessary emergency room visits, and improved population health outcomes. It fosters innovation in care delivery and supports a more resilient healthcare system capable of adapting to future challenges. Conversely, a return to restrictive pre-pandemic policies would be a step backward, costing the system in terms of missed opportunities for better care and increased inefficiencies.
The coalition leaders and pledge signatories are not merely waiting for Congress to act; they are actively committing to a sustained advocacy campaign. This includes continued education of voters and policymakers, strategic legislative engagement, and public awareness initiatives. Their goal is to ensure that permanent Medicare telehealth is a national priority in 2026 and beyond, with all candidates for office being urged to commit to these protections.
The current legislative push represents a critical juncture for American healthcare. The widespread adoption and proven efficacy of telehealth during the pandemic have created an opportunity to solidify a more accessible, equitable, and efficient healthcare system. The unified voice of over 200 organizations on Capitol Hill today serves as a powerful reminder that permanent telehealth access is not a luxury, but a necessity, demanding decisive and lasting action from Congress. The future of millions of patients’ access to vital care rests on their ability to move beyond short-term fixes and embrace a permanent solution.
To learn more about the Telehealth Voters Pledge and the growing coalition, visit connectwithcare.org/pledge.
