Join us in urging Congress to extend telehealth services indefinitely through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Currently, funding for telehealth services through the Medicare program will end December 31, 2024. Congress must permanently fund telehealth access.

Ending telehealth access will force disabled, terminally-ill, high risk, immunocompromised people into in-person visits for things that absolutely don’t require in-person exams. This will force terminally ill and high risk and immunocompromised people to get mental health services on-site. Ultimately, this affects people in rural communities who face either long distances or other challenges traveling to appointments. Telehealth access changed healthcare for the better,narrowing the gaps in health disparities between different populations.

When submitting your letter, make sure to add something personal and note word limits.

Letter Template

I urge you to act today to extend funding telehealth services via Medicare and Medicaid. Telehealth services must not end on December 31, 2024. Telehealth service should be a permanent option for all patients, and covered by all insurance, first and foremost Medicare and Medicaid.

Nearly 80% of all people have accessed telemedicine once in their lives.39% of all US adults had a telemedicine encounter in 2022. Over 67 million older adults will lose invaluable and convenient access to healthcare services. Nearly 20% of all Americans reside in rural or frontier regions. Rural Americans benefit from immediate access to healthcare services that telehealth provides. Telehealth services affect everyone and have received support from political leaders from all viewpoints. Already, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted in full support to approve a two-year extension of telehealth policies in the Medicare program. We need the full House of Representatives and the Senate to sign their policy into law.

In summary, we ask that:
1. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) must provide indefinite financial support for existing telehealth services.

2. The telehealth program at Medicare should continue to adopt policies that ensure accessible access to healthcare services through different modes of communication.

I appreciate your time and consideration of this important matter!