It's 'Telehealth vs. No Care': Doctors Say Congress Risks Leaving Patients Vulnerable

The $1.7 trillion spending package Congress passed in December included a two-year extension for telehealth, but also signaled reluctance to make the changes permanent. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Dr. Corey Siegel was more prepared than most of his peers. Half of Siegel's patients many with private insurance and Medicaid were already using telehealth, logging onto appointments through phones or computers. "You get to meet their family members; you get to meet their pets," Siegel said. "You see more into their lives than you do when they come to you." Siegel's Medicare patients weren't covered for telehealth visits until the pandemic drove Congress and regulators to temporarily pay for remote medical treatment just as they would in-person care. The $1.7 trillion spending package Congress passed in December included a two-year extension of key telehealth provisions, such as coverage for Medicare beneficiaries to have phone or video medical appointments at home.