PLACERVILLE, Calif. — A bipartisan group of 70 House members led by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena), Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) and Doris Matsui (D-West Sacramento) on Sept. 30 urged House and Senate leaders to extend Medicare telehealth flexibilities — a step advocates say is needed to prevent widespread disruption to virtual care for older Americans. The lawmakers issued a letter calling for an immediate extension and for Congress to act to preserve access while longer-term legislation advances.
The request came as several pandemic-era Medicare telehealth authorities expired Sept. 30, returning many Medicare telehealth rules to their pre-COVID status unless Congress restores them. That means, for most services, Medicare will again limit telehealth reimbursement by geography and originating-site rules, and some practitioners who had been eligible to bill for virtual care will no longer be authorized.
Advocates and provider groups warned the lapse is already causing operational chaos. The American Telemedicine Association’s advocacy arm, ATA Action, told congressional leaders that the flexibilities “have been in place since 2020 and their lapse is creating widespread concern for providers and patients.” The ATA asked Congress to reinstate the flexibilities immediately and to provide retroactive reimbursement so providers who continue to deliver care are not left unpaid.
Providers nationwide have begun canceling or warning patients about telehealth visits because reimbursement and legal authority to bill Medicare are uncertain, according to reporting from Roll Call and Axios. Smaller clinics and rural providers, in particular, say they may not be able to sustain unpaid virtual visits.
Why this matters in El Dorado County
Local health systems and clinics that expanded virtual care during the pandemic say telehealth remains an important access point for seniors and patients with mobility or transportation barriers. Marshall Medical Center — the county’s largest health system, with clinics in Placerville and El Dorado Hills — advertises video visits for annual wellness checks, medication follow-ups and chronic-disease management. Community clinics in the county also use telemedicine to connect patients with specialists. If Congress does not restore the flexibilities, many Medicare patients in El Dorado County could face canceled telehealth appointments or be required to travel for in-person care. Marshall+1
National context and legislative options
Telehealth authorities were first loosened during the COVID-19 public-health emergency and have been extended multiple times. National medical organizations — including the American Medical Association and the California Medical Association — have pushed for permanent fixes such as the CONNECT for Health Act to remove geographic limits and permanently expand which practitioners can bill Medicare for telehealth. The ATA and dozens of provider groups urged Congress to enact the longest possible extension (some advocacy letters asked for a multi-year extension) and to make reimbursement retroactive for services provided during the lapse.
What patients should know now
-
Medicare patients who had telehealth visits on or before Sept. 30 should generally be reimbursed; claims and payment timing may be affected during the federal funding lapse.
-
Some providers are continuing telehealth visits in hopes of retroactive reimbursement; others are blocking new virtual appointments until Congress acts. The ATA urged Congress to restore authorities and provide clarity so providers and patients aren’t left in limbo.
A short-term fix and a long-term fight
Lawmakers behind the Sept. 30 letter asked leaders to extend telehealth flexibilities immediately while pressing for permanent statutory reforms. Previous bills — including the CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 and companion measures introduced by Thompson, Matsui, Balderson and other bipartisan sponsors — aim to make many pandemic-era flexibilities permanent; advocates say permanence is the only way to avoid recurring “telehealth cliffs.”
“Congress must act now to pass bipartisan legislation to expand telehealth,” said AMA President Bobby Mukkamala in a leadership commentary urging lawmakers to move quickly.
— Reporting by Cris Alarcón. If your telehealth appointment is affected, contact your provider (for example, Marshall Medical’s virtual visits page) for the latest scheduling guidance. Marshall
The full text of the letter can be found here.
For additional information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Sarah Dukett.
Sources (key documents and reporting)
-
Rep. Mike Thompson press release / bipartisan letter (Sept. 30, 2025). Quiver Quantitative
-
ATA Action letter to congressional leaders (Oct. 1, 2025). ATA
-
CMS telehealth FAQ / Medicare guidance (telehealth FAQ, April 2025; flexibilities effective through Sept. 30, 2025). CMS
-
Washington Post / Time / Axios reporting on telehealth lapse and impact on seniors. The Washington Post+2TIME+2
-
Roll Call reporting on providers canceling telehealth visits. Roll Call
-
Local provider telehealth pages: Marshall Medical Center telehealth and El Dorado community health clinic telemedicine pages. Marshall+1
