Make telehealth flexibilities permanent

PAN’S POSITION

Telehealth services provide access to healthcare and should continue to be an option, particularly for those in rural and underserved areas.

Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should ensure that telehealth services are maintained and made permanent. 

Why telehealth services are vital 

Telehealth expands access to care and maintains continuity of care for patients. For Medicare beneficiaries, access to telehealth services is especially important. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, as of 2023, more than one in ten Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth services. Usage rates were higher among those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid (34%) compared to those not eligible for Medicaid (23%). Studies have also found that individuals with lower income or those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to utilize telehealth, underscoring the essential role of these services play in meeting patients where they are and improving access to care. 

Telehealth also helps patients save time and money. CMS estimates that telemedicine saves Medicare patients $60 million on travel, with projections reaching at least $170 million by 2029. Access to telehealth is estimated to save patients $147 to $186 per visit, reduce travel by 3.8 million round-trip miles, and save 75,055 driving hours—equivalent to 8.6 years. 

It is also important to allow the use of audio-only equipment for a wide range of Medicare services, to ensure that telehealth is accessible to everyone. With internet access increasingly recognized as a “super determinant” of health, 24 million Americans—particularly those in rural, tribal, and low-income communities—still lack reliable connectivity. 

Telehealth makes it possible for older adults and people in rural areas of this country, like me, to get the services they need.”

– Cheryl, living with basal cell carcinoma