From what I understand Medicare will stop covering Telehealth Video Visits starting April 1. If that is so it would be

[JohnSJ]

Last edited Wed Mar 5, 2025, 07:09 PM - Edit history (1)

a huge issue for those who have accessibility issues, or would have to travel long distances, especially if it is just for a status visit it could be quite expensive for someone who has to pay out of pocket.

There is zero chance that this Congress under the sociopath in the WH would extend this, so for those on Medicare that utilize video visits, unless you are in person you will be responsible for the entire cost as I understand it.

This country is so f**ked up what they did on November 5.

[Vinca]

1. My husband has a telehealth appointment with a specialist every 6 months. He doesn't really want to drive

the distance he needs to in order to see her and it really isn't necessary. After hearing about this, he suggested to her that he would pay out-of-pocket if Medicare wouldn't cover it and she said she couldn't do that because then it would have to be a total opt out of Medicare which would affect things she prescribes and tests she requests. It's like Trump is going out of his way to make life miserable for people. Guess he'll end up making a day trip.

[Ms. Toad]

6. This isn't a Trump thing.

The exception to permit telehealth visits to be covered had an expiration date when it was passed. The expiration date just happened to fall after the election. (Among other times) Congress had an opportunity to pass an extension in the December continuing resolution bill, while Biden was still president, and chose not to.

Trump is responsible for a lot of bad things - but this isn't one of them. At least not directly.

[JohnSJ]

8. That may be, but with this Congress there isn't a chance they will pass it, and even in December under Biden there

was very little chance.

Democrats under Biden really didn't have a true majority in the Senate with Sinema and Manchin, and in the House this wasn't going anywhere where the republicans had the majority.

[bluestarone]

2. I'm hoping it will not cut this. In Northern states especially could be a problem. But

I say in ALL states it should be allowed. I used it before here.

[Ms. Toad]

4. It's not a cut.

The exception to the bar on telehealth visits expires on March 31, 2025. It was a temporary exception intended to make health care possible at the peak of COVID.

Congress should extend it, and make it permanent. But the ability to have Medicare pay for it had an expiration date when it was created a few years ago.

As for whether it is allowed in all states - that is a different mater from whether Medicare will pay for it. That is a decision governed by the laws of each state. Some have generous telehealth laws - some a lot more restricted. But that is a matter for a state solution, not a federal one.

[Ms. Toad]

3. This deadline has nothing directly to do with November 5.

Medicare did not cover telehealth visits until sometime during the peak of COVID. When Congress made an exception, it had a deadline. I don't know if the original deadline was extended, or whether March 30, 2025 was the original deadline. But time marches on, regardless of who won the election.

Congress does have the ability to extend the deadline, but did not include it in the bill passed while Biden was still in the White House. They still have that opportunity - so to the extent they don't, it is a consequence of Republicans winning the house and senate. But they aren't responsible for the fact that a temporary exception for telehealth included a deadline.

[JohnSJ]

9. Sure it does. If we would have won the majority and the presidency, it would have been extended. Nothing was going

to happen in December 2024 where republicans had the majority in the House, and we had Sinema and Manchin in the Senate

[Ms. Toad]

10. There were plenty of opportunities to extend them before December 2024.

That was simply the last one.

What is your excuse for having an expiration date in the first place, or for it being extended, or only extended through March 31 under the Biden administration?

Not everything bad that happens is tied to Trump, or to the elections. This was a temporary exception to the bar on paying for telehealth. Given changes in technology, it should probably be made permanent. But the fact that it is expiring just means time passed and the extension hasn't (yet) been passed by Congress.

[Horse with no Name]

5. Not to mention putting fragile at risk

People on Medicare at additional risk when there isn’t a flu vaccine next year

[Hokie]

7. I can verify that

My doctor told me that today when I asked about changing a visit to telehealth. Until April 1 yes, after that no.

[JBTaurus83]

11. Telehealth is also

Less expensive to administer than office visits. It could be a money saver for Medicare.

[Silent Type]

12. Odds are it will continue once a new budget or Continuing Resolution is passed.