Telehealth at a Crossroads: A Unified Push for Permanent Medicare Access

WASHINGTON D.C. – July 23, 2026 – A formidable coalition of over 200 healthcare organizations, patient advocacy groups, and clinical associations converged on Capitol Hill today, delivering a resounding message to Congress: make permanent Medicare telehealth coverage a reality. The Epilepsy Alliance America proudly stands among these voices, emphasizing the critical importance of virtual care in safeguarding patient access nationwide.

The gathering, hosted by the Alliance for Connected Care, saw patients, clinicians, and health system leaders unite with bipartisan Members of Congress to champion the "Telehealth Voters Pledge." This pivotal initiative calls for an immediate end to the cycle of temporary extensions, which have plagued telehealth policy for years, and demands the enactment of lasting statutory authority for virtual care under Medicare. With current flexibilities poised to expire on December 31, 2027, and the vivid memory of a disruptive lapse in 2025 still fresh, the urgency for decisive legislative action has never been clearer.

A Critical Juncture: The Looming Deadline

The stakes are exceptionally high. Telehealth, once a supplementary service, surged into prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, transforming from a convenience into an indispensable lifeline for millions. It facilitated uninterrupted care, mitigated infection risks, and bridged vast geographic and socioeconomic divides. However, its post-pandemic future remains precariously balanced on a series of short-term congressional mandates.

"We saw what happens when Medicare telehealth coverage lapses; real patients lost real access in 2025," stated Chris Adamec, Executive Director of the Alliance for Connected Care, his voice echoing the frustration of countless Americans. "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."

The potential for another lapse looms large, threatening to sever critical connections between patients and providers, particularly for vulnerable populations who have come to rely heavily on virtual care. This looming deadline has galvanized an unprecedented coalition, underscoring the broad consensus across the healthcare spectrum that telehealth is not merely a temporary solution but a fundamental component of modern healthcare delivery.

Chronology of Telehealth Flexibilities: From Crisis to Uncertainty

The journey of telehealth flexibilities has been one marked by rapid adaptation and persistent uncertainty. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare’s coverage of telehealth was largely restrictive, limited primarily to beneficiaries in rural areas and under specific circumstances. The onset of the global health crisis, however, necessitated an immediate and dramatic overhaul of these policies.

In March 2020, as the pandemic rapidly escalated, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) significantly expanded telehealth coverage under emergency waivers. These flexibilities allowed beneficiaries nationwide to access a wide array of services via virtual platforms, including routine check-ups, mental health counseling, and chronic disease management, from the comfort and safety of their homes. This unprecedented expansion proved instrumental in maintaining continuity of care, reducing exposure risks for both patients and healthcare workers, and preventing the collapse of healthcare systems overwhelmed by the pandemic.

As the immediate crisis subsided, Congress faced the challenge of transitioning these temporary measures into a sustainable long-term policy. Rather than enacting permanent legislation, lawmakers opted for a series of short-term extensions. The first significant expiration occurred on December 31, 2024, which led to a brief but impactful lapse in coverage in early 2025 before a new short-term extension was passed. This temporary cessation of services, even for a brief period, caused considerable disruption. Patients reported cancelled appointments, difficulty accessing necessary medications, and a resurgence of barriers to care that telehealth had so effectively dismantled. Providers, too, grappled with administrative confusion, uncertain reimbursement policies, and the complex task of recalibrating their care models.

The current set of flexibilities is now slated to expire on December 31, 2027, setting the stage for yet another potential disruption if Congress fails to act definitively. This stop-and-go approach to policy has created an environment of instability, hindering long-term planning for healthcare systems and fostering anxiety among patients who fear losing their vital connections to care. The call from the Alliance for Connected Care and its partners is clear: enough with temporary fixes; it’s time for a permanent solution that provides certainty and stability for all stakeholders.

The Telehealth Voters Pledge: A Unified Front

The "Telehealth Voters Pledge," presented today, represents a powerful aggregation of voices demanding legislative stability. Signed by more than 200 health care organizations, clinicians, and patient advocacy groups, it serves as a public declaration of the widespread support for permanent Medicare telehealth coverage. The pledge outlines a clear mandate for Congress: to move beyond reactive, short-term extensions and establish a robust, enduring framework for virtual care.

The document emphasizes several key points:

Preventing Future Lapses: Highlighting the negative impact of the 2025 lapse as a cautionary tale.

Ensuring Patient Access: Stressing that telehealth is a critical tool for reaching underserved populations, including those in rural areas, individuals with mobility challenges, and those seeking mental health support.

Supporting Provider Innovation: Providing certainty for healthcare systems to invest in and integrate telehealth into their long-term care strategies.

Promoting Health Equity: Recognizing telehealth’s role in reducing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.

This collective commitment signifies a powerful political force, aiming to impress upon lawmakers the broad and diverse backing for this policy change. The signatories represent the entire spectrum of healthcare, from specialized patient groups like the Epilepsy Alliance America to large health systems and technology innovators, underscoring the universal need for permanent telehealth.

Bipartisan Support on Capitol Hill

The event itself underscored the bipartisan nature of the telehealth imperative. Sponsored by Democratic Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA), the gathering also featured Republican Representative Carol Miller (R-WV) as a prominent speaker. This cross-aisle collaboration sends a strong signal that permanent telehealth access transcends partisan divides, representing a fundamental healthcare issue that benefits constituents across the political spectrum.

Representatives Matsui and Thompson, long-time advocates for connected care, emphasized the critical role telehealth plays in their diverse districts, from urban centers to remote communities. Representative Miller’s presence further solidified the message that this is not a red-state or blue-state issue, but a vital component of modern healthcare infrastructure for all Americans. Their commitment to building momentum ahead of a fall legislative push indicates a concerted effort to secure permanent protections before the 2027 deadline becomes an immediate crisis.

Voices from the Front Lines: Why Permanent Access Matters

The emotional core of the day’s event lay in the powerful testimonies and urgent calls from healthcare leaders representing various sectors. Their perspectives illuminated the profound impact of telehealth on diverse patient populations and the critical need for policy stability.

Addressing the Mental Health Crisis

One of the most compelling arguments for permanent telehealth centers on mental health care. Debbie Witchey, President and CEO of the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), articulated the dire need: "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. 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."

This statistic paints a stark picture of a mental health landscape already strained to its breaking point. Telehealth has emerged as a crucial tool for expanding access, particularly for individuals in rural areas, those with limited mobility, or those who face social stigma in seeking in-person care. The ability to connect with a therapist or psychiatrist from home has not only increased appointment adherence but has also lowered barriers to entry for many who might otherwise forgo treatment. Permanently securing telehealth access, coupled with the repeal of antiquated in-person requirements, is seen as an essential step in addressing the nation’s burgeoning mental health crisis.

Enhancing End-of-Life and Palliative Care

For patients navigating the complexities of serious illness and end-of-life care, telehealth offers invaluable support and comfort. Bernadette Nunley, Chief Legal Advocacy Officer for Compassion & Choices, underscored this point: "Compassion & Choices is committed to advocating for making Medicare telehealth coverage permanent. 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 for seriously ill or elderly patients to consult with their care teams without the physical burden of travel can significantly improve their quality of life. Telehealth facilitates easier access to specialized palliative care, crucial for managing pain and symptoms, and allows for more frequent, less intrusive check-ins. Furthermore, it simplifies the process of completing and updating advance care plans, ensuring patients’ wishes are documented and respected, thereby providing peace of mind for both patients and their families during incredibly challenging times.

Expanding Access for Seniors and Rural Communities

Older adults and individuals residing in rural or medically underserved areas stand to lose the most if telehealth access is curtailed. Jon Thiboutot, President of Retail Health at CVS Health, highlighted the impact on seniors: "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."

Mordy Eisenberg, Co-Founder of Tapestry Health, emphasized the infrastructural role of telehealth, particularly in long-term care settings: "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. 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. We are proud to stand with the Alliance for Connected Care in urging every candidate in 2026 to commit to making these protections permanent."

For many seniors, telehealth eliminates the logistical hurdles of transportation, mobility issues, and caregiver availability. For rural Americans, it transcends the geographic barriers of sparse provider networks and long travel times, bringing specialist care directly into their homes. In skilled nursing facilities, virtual consultations can prevent costly and often traumatic emergency department transfers, allowing residents to receive timely care in a familiar environment.

Empowering Social Workers and Behavioral Health

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) also weighed in, highlighting the integral role of telehealth in supporting mental and behavioral health services delivered by social workers. Heidi McIntosh, MSW, NASW Chief Operating Officer, stated: "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 are often on the front lines of mental health care, providing counseling, crisis intervention, and case management. Telemental health has allowed them to reach a broader client base, maintain continuity of care for vulnerable individuals, and provide essential support without the constraints of physical presence. A permanent policy would ensure these vital services remain accessible and uninterrupted.

The Provider Perspective: Stability and Quality Care

From the provider’s standpoint, the current state of temporary extensions creates immense administrative burden and uncertainty. Chad Ellimoottil, MD, MS, Medical Director of Virtual Care at University of Michigan Health, articulated this sentiment: "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 Healthcare Leadership Council echoed this, stating: "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."

Providers need stable policy frameworks to invest in technology, train staff, and integrate telehealth seamlessly into their workflows. Short-term extensions force them into a constant state of adaptation, diverting resources and attention away from patient care. Permanent access would allow for long-term strategic planning, fostering innovation and ultimately leading to more efficient and higher-quality care delivery.

The Coalition’s Strategic Commitments

Beyond today’s event, the coalition leaders and pledge signatories are committing to a proactive and sustained campaign to achieve their goal. Their strategy involves:

Voter Education: Informing constituents about the benefits of permanent telehealth and the risks of inaction, mobilizing them to engage with their elected officials.
Policymaker Engagement: Continuously advocating on Capitol Hill, providing data and personal testimonies to underscore the necessity of permanent coverage.
Public Awareness Campaigns: Utilizing various media channels to keep the issue in the public discourse and highlight the stories of patients whose lives have been positively impacted by telehealth.
Data Collection and Research: Continuing to gather evidence on the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of telehealth to build an irrefutable case for its permanent integration.

These activities are strictly nonpartisan, focusing solely on the policy merits of permanent Medicare telehealth coverage. The coalition’s diverse composition—including patient advocacy organizations, clinician associations, hospitals and health systems, and technology companies—ensures a comprehensive and unified approach to this critical advocacy effort.

Supporting Data: The Irrefutable Case for Telehealth

The arguments for permanent telehealth are not based solely on anecdotes; they are underpinned by a growing body of evidence demonstrating its profound benefits across multiple dimensions of healthcare.

Impact of Past Lapses

The brief lapse in telehealth coverage in early 2025 served as a stark, real-world experiment confirming the critical need for stability. During this period, countless patients experienced:

Disrupted Care: Scheduled virtual appointments were cancelled, delaying diagnoses, treatment adjustments, and medication refills.
Increased Burden: Patients, especially those with chronic conditions, disabilities, or limited mobility, were forced to find alternative transportation or forgo care altogether.
Provider Uncertainty: Healthcare systems grappled with fluctuating reimbursement rules and administrative confusion, leading to inefficiencies and potential financial strain.
Exacerbated Health Disparities: The lapse disproportionately affected rural and low-income populations, widening existing gaps in healthcare access.

These disruptions were not minor inconveniences; they had tangible negative impacts on patient health outcomes and overall system efficiency, proving that temporary solutions are inherently unsustainable and detrimental.

Geographic and Socioeconomic Equity

Telehealth has emerged as a powerful equalizer in healthcare, addressing long-standing disparities in access.

Rural Access: For the nearly 60 million Americans living in rural areas, where specialist physicians are scarce and travel distances can be prohibitive, telehealth is a game-changer. It brings high-quality care, from mental health therapy to cardiology consultations, directly to their homes, eliminating geographical barriers.
Mobility Challenges: Individuals with physical disabilities, chronic illnesses, or age-related mobility issues often find in-person visits arduous and painful. Telehealth allows them to receive care comfortably and safely.
Socioeconomic Factors: Telehealth can reduce indirect costs associated with healthcare, such as transportation, childcare, and time off work, making care more accessible for low-income populations.

Efficiency and Innovation in Healthcare Delivery

Beyond access, telehealth contributes significantly to the overall efficiency and innovation of the healthcare system.

Reduced No-Show Rates: Virtual appointments often have lower no-show rates, optimizing clinician schedules and ensuring more patients receive timely care.
Improved Chronic Disease Management: Regular virtual check-ins enable proactive management of chronic conditions, potentially preventing acute exacerbations and hospitalizations.
Enhanced Preventative Care: Easier access to virtual consultations can encourage more frequent engagement with primary care, promoting preventative health measures.
Resource Optimization: Telehealth can help optimize the utilization of hospital beds and emergency departments by managing non-urgent conditions remotely.
Technological Advancement: Permanent policy would incentivize further investment in secure, user-friendly telehealth platforms and integration with electronic health records, driving innovation in digital health.

Implications for the Future of Healthcare

The outcome of this legislative push will have profound implications for the trajectory of healthcare in America. If Congress heeds the call for permanent Medicare telehealth coverage, it will solidify a future where:

Access is Prioritized: Patients, regardless of their location, socioeconomic status, or physical capabilities, will have consistent access to a broader range of medical services.
Innovation Flourishes: Healthcare providers and technology companies will have the certainty to invest in and expand cutting-edge virtual care solutions.
Healthcare is More Resilient: The system will be better equipped to handle future public health crises, natural disasters, or other disruptions, ensuring continuity of care.
Patient-Centered Care is Enhanced: Telehealth empowers patients by offering convenient, personalized options that fit their lives.

Conversely, a failure to act decisively would relegate telehealth to a perpetual state of uncertainty, leading to:

Widespread Disruption: Another lapse would cause significant chaos for patients and providers, unraveling years of progress in connected care.
Erosion of Trust: Patients may lose faith in the reliability of telehealth as a care option, and providers may be hesitant to integrate it fully.
Exacerbated Health Disparities: Vulnerable populations would once again face disproportionate barriers to care.
Stifled Innovation: The lack of a stable policy framework would deter investment and development in digital health solutions.

A Nonpartisan Mandate

The overarching message from today’s Capitol Hill event is clear: permanent Medicare telehealth coverage is not a partisan issue. It is a fundamental question of equitable access, patient safety, and the modernization of healthcare for all Americans. The broad coalition spanning patient advocates, clinicians, hospitals, and technology firms speaks to a unified understanding of telehealth’s essential role. As the 2026 election cycle approaches, the "Telehealth Voters Pledge" aims to make this issue a priority for every candidate, compelling them to commit to securing a stable and accessible future for virtual care.

Conclusion: A Call to Lasting Action

The gathering on Capitol Hill today was more than just a press conference; it was a powerful demonstration of collective will. With current telehealth flexibilities set to expire at the close of 2027, the window for decisive action is rapidly narrowing. The memory of the 2025 lapse serves as a potent reminder of the consequences of congressional inaction.

The Alliance for Connected Care, along with the Epilepsy Alliance America and its more than 200 partners, has presented Congress with a clear mandate: end the cycle of short-term extensions and enact permanent Medicare telehealth coverage. This move would not only safeguard access for millions of patients—from those managing chronic conditions like epilepsy to seniors, individuals with mental health needs, and rural communities—but also provide the stability necessary for healthcare providers to innovate and deliver the highest quality of care. The time for temporary fixes is over; the time for lasting action is now.

To learn more about the Telehealth Voters Pledge and the growing coalition working to make permanent Medicare telehealth a national priority, visit connectwithcare.org/pledge.