Doctors Push Back Against Looming Loss of Medicare Telehealth for Millions

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Feb 28, 2025 at 7:08 PM EST


The impending loss of telehealth coverage for millions of Medicare recipients has sparked heavy backlash among doctors and patients alike, as a new Change.org petition calls for reinstatement of the coverage after its scheduled expiration date of March 31.

Why It Matters

More than 66 million Americans rely on Medicare for health coverage each year. That includes many rural patients who depend on telehealth, which became increasingly popular during the coronavirus pandemic.

What To Know

Robert Hoyer, a Colorado-based doctor specializing in cancer, started a petition to stop Medicare from limiting home telehealth coverage on April 1. "For patients living with a cancer diagnosis or chronic conditions, telehealth provides an important link to their care team. Telehealth also helps alleviate costly travel to medical appointments, time off work, and child care expenses," Hoyer wrote in his Change.org petition.

"Therefore, we ask that Medicare extend its coverage for home telehealth visits beyond April 1 2025. This measure would not only ensure that rural and homebound patients continue receiving the care they need but would also greatly contribute to alleviating healthcare disparities across rural America. Stand with us in the fight against insufficient healthcare access."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/doctors-push-back-against-medicares-looming-loss-telehealth-coverage-2038123

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Link to PETITION - Stop Medicare from Limiting Home Telehealth Coverage on April 1, 2025

[bucolic_frolic]

1. The end date is a butcher's cleaver, not a sunsetting date.

Existing patients using telehealth are just terminated from it. It's part of their routine, planning. Abrupt arbitrary changes are not good.

[Bohunk68]

2. Had my semi-annual at the Fonda VA Wednesday.

It was Tele health. Haven't had an actual doctor at the site for a year now.

[wordstroken]

3. Just signed the petition. Thanks for posting, BumRushDaShow.

[ratchiweenie]

4. Just let them die. That will save tons of money. That seems to be the basic operating theory in every department.

[samnsara]

5. just lie and bill it as an office visit......

[sueh]

6. My husband was bed bound for almost 2 years

before he died in October 2024. We would have had to transport him via ambulance to the doctors office for an in-person visit. He was on Medicare. Telehealth visits made seeing the doctor so much easier. We also had home health care nurse visits who liasoned with our doctor. Telehealth visits cannot be ended.

[Bayard]

7. First step toward cutting Medicare.....

[Beartracks]

8. Step 1: Make it not work. Step 2: End it, because it doesn't work.

This is the GOP's approach to anything in America.

Oh, yeah: Step 3: Give a raise to rich people, and pat yourself on the back.

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