COVID-19 and the emphasis on social distancing has highlighted the many benefits of telehealth. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander recently called for legislative action to make flexibility for telehealth permanent. As Congress moves on this topic, special interests will mobilize to add mandates that require higher prices for all telehealth services. For people with disabilities, those with chronic conditions, and lower-middle-class patients, telehealth is a literal lifeline to their doctors, yet mandates can adversely affect them. Policymakers should reject these mandates but still adopt a robust framework for providers to use telehealth without barriers for care across state lines.
Telehealth saves enormous amounts of time and avoids time spent in a waiting room with other sick patients. It is more convenient for the provider and can be delivered from almost anywhere. The convenience of this care is a key indicator why telehealth can and should be delivered for a fraction of the cost of an in-person visit.
