FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Doctors for America
PO Box: 21161
2300 18th St NW Lbby
Washington, DC 20009-9996
September 30, 2025
Doctors for America Calls On Congress to Protect Telehealth for Vulnerable Populations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Without Congressional action by midnight Tuesday, critical telehealth and hospital-at-home flexibilities that have expanded access to care for millions of Americans will expire.
These provisions—originally enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic—have transformed how care is delivered, especially for seniors, rural communities, and individuals with limited mobility. They have enabled timely, efficient, and safe access to physicians while reducing strain on hospitals and health systems.
Physicians across the country have embraced telehealth as a tool which has been shown to improve care coordination and patient engagement without compromising health outcomes.12, The looming expiration would:
- Reinstate outdated geographic and originating site restrictions for Medicare patients;
- Disrupt care for patients who rely on virtual visits, leading to suboptimal clinical outcomes
- Undermine years of investment in digital health infrastructure;
- Create administrative confusion and reimbursement uncertainty for practices.
These temporary flexibilities were extended multiple times by Congress with strong bipartisan support. Yet with the deadline now less than 24 hours away, no permanent solution has been enacted, creating ongoing uncertainty and anxiety for both patients and physicians. Legislation such as H.R. 4206 would offer a permanent solution to this recurring crisis and would provide much-needed stability.
We urge Congress to take immediate action to permanently prevent this abrupt rollback in care.
The telehealth policies at stake are not just regulatory details, they are lifelines for patients and critical tools for modern medical practice. Ending them now would turn back the clock on progress and hurt those who can least afford disruption in their care.
For press inquiries and to speak more on this issue with members of Doctors for America, please contact Claire Onyechi with Continuum Health Group ([email protected]).
1Ezeamii, V. C., Okobi, O. E., Wambai-Sani, H., Perera, G. S., Zaynieva, S., Okonkwo, C. C., Ohaiba, M. M., William-Enemali, P. C., Obodo, O. R., & Obiefuna, N. G. (2024). Revolutionizing Healthcare: How Telemedicine Is Improving Patient Outcomes and Expanding Access to Care. Cureus, 16(7), e63881. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.63881
2Elsener, M., Santana Felipes, R. C., Sege, J., Harmon, P., & Jafri, F. N. (2023). Telehealth-based transitional care management programme to improve access to care. BMJ open quality, 12(4), e002495. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2023-002495
###
About Doctors for America:
Doctors for America (DFA) is a national movement of over 40,000 physicians and medical students across all 50 states and every specialty who are committed to putting patients over politics. We mobilize and train clinicians to be effective advocates, equipping them with the skills to influence policy and lead change at both state and federal levels. Our work focuses on three core areas: expanding access to affordable care, strengthening community health and prevention, and advancing health justice and equity. Unlike many organizations, DFA does not accept funding from pharmaceutical companies, insurers, or for-profit healthcare corporations—ensuring that our voice remains independent, trusted, and grounded solely in what is best for patients. By uniting the trusted voices of doctors and medical trainees, DFA drives policy change, defends evidence-based care, and works to improve the health of our patients, communities, and nation. Find out more at doctorsforamerica.org and on Twitter drsforamerica or Bluesky drsforamerica.bsky.social.