STAT+: Lawmakers unlikely to permanently extend telehealth flexibilities this year
WASHINGTON — Members of Congress appear poised to advance another short-term extension of pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities instead of permanently addressing the issue, seven sources familiar with the talks said.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, lawmakers allowed Medicare patients to access telehealth services in more places and for a greater variety of providers than before, but some of those flexibilities are set to expire at the end of the year. The expiration is expected to be an impetus for a broader health care package in December, when other public health programs also run out.
Another short-term extension would be significantly less costly to the federal government than a permanent one, and easier for lawmakers to pay for. The Congressional Budget Office expects the Medicare flexibilities to cost around $4 billion if they are extended for two years, according to three lobbyists and a congressional aide, though the estimate has not been released publicly.
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