Millions of Seniors Could Lose Virtual Care
The looming expiration of Medicare telehealth coverage threatens healthcare access for millions of American seniors. Democratic Representative Ro Khanna has introduced the Telehealth Coverage Act to preserve these vital services beyond the March 31st deadline.
Pandemic-Era Service Now Essential
More than 66 million Americans rely on Medicare annually. Telehealth services became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic as patients sought to minimize virus transmission risks. Today, many seniors depend on virtual healthcare, particularly those in rural communities where traveling to medical facilities presents significant challenges.
Evolution of Medicare Telehealth Coverage
Medicare’s telehealth provisions were initially expanded under President Trump’s administration as an emergency pandemic measure. President Biden’s American Relief Act 2025 further extended coverage by increasing originating sites for telehealth and postponing in-person requirements for mental health services.
Rural Americans Most Affected
Without legislative action, funding for Medicare telehealth will expire March 31st, forcing approximately 12 million seniors to seek in-person care despite minimal fraud detected in telehealth services.
“Why are we taking telehealth away from millions of seniors who are homebound or who have difficulty leaving their homes?” Khanna stated. “It is most devastating for rural Americans.”
Support Growing Across Political Lines
Representative Khanna emphasized the urgency on social media: “Because of the Trump administration, seniors will no longer be covered for telehealth starting March 31st. That is why I am introducing the Telehealth Coverage Act, requiring Medicare to cover seniors’ telehealth services.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, noted the broader impact: “Those services opened the door to more care for patients in rural communities who had lost clinics and hospitals in recent years to receiving pivotal treatments without having to travel extensively.”
April 1st Deadline Approaches
Unless Congress passes the Telehealth Coverage Act, Medicare beneficiaries must find in-person healthcare facilities for services previously available virtually. Limited exceptions exist for patients with end-stage renal disease, acute strokes, or mental health disorders who live outside rural areas.
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