Over 200 health care organizations have come together to push Congress to enact permanent Medicare telehealth coverage, without which home health appointments are at risk of delays and providers could face increased administrative and billing challenges.
The National Alliance for Care at Home (The Alliance) was among the signatories of a letter directed at Congress shared on Thursday. The Alliance stated that coverage gaps in Medicare telehealth flexibilities have exacerbated a growing access to care crisis.
“Individuals relying on care in the home shouldn’t face uncertainty about whether Medicare will cover their next virtual visit, and providers shouldn’t be forced to interrupt care delivery due to arbitrary telehealth deadlines,” the Alliance said in a statement. “The Alliance is proud to sign the Organizational Pledge to Advocate for Permanent Medicare Telehealth in 2026, which represents an important step to protecting access to telehealth in hospice and home health programs.”
A series of short-term extensions have kept Medicare telehealth flexibilities in place, but government shutdowns have allowed the flexibilities to lapse.
Lapses in these flexibilities prohibit providers from using telehealth, which has become a tool for some providers to offset home care clinician shortages.
“Without it, visits may occur less quickly for patients,” Dr. Madeline Sterling, internist at Weill Cornell Medicine who has conducted research on telehealth and home health, previously told Home Health Care News. “They are also likely to incur more administrative and billing challenges, as well as losing referrals.”
While the telehealth flexibilities have been shut down by government shutdowns, broad bipartisan support exists for the flexibilities, Kyle Zebley, CEO of the American Telemedicine Association, previously told HHCN.
Currently, telehealth flexibilities are set to expire on Dec. 31, 2027. The group of over 200 healthcare organizations called on Congress to enact permanent Medicare telehealth coverage. The organizations also pledged to advocate for the flexibilities to be made permanent.
“Telehealth and virtual care have fundamentally transformed how millions of Americans access medical care, connecting patients across the country with the providers they need,” the letter read. “Congress expanded Medicare telehealth coverage, and it has proven that virtual care saves lives, reduces costs and eliminates barriers for older adults in need of care. Congress must end the cycle of temporary fixes and pass permanent Medicare telehealth legislation. Every extension without a permanent solution leaves patients and providers facing uncertainty, disruption and the risk of losing access to care they depend on.”