Congress has once again extended pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities making it easier for patients and doctors to use—this time until 2027. That may sound like progress, but it isn’t. It’s another short-term patch that reinforces a growing problem: telehealth policy in the United States operates on a rolling expiration date. Instead of providing certainty, lawmakers are preserving regulatory ambiguity for patients and doctors.
That uncertainty has real consequences, especially in rural America where communities have fewer providers, longer travel times, and worse health outcomes than their urban counterparts. Eighty percent of rural counties are considered medically underserved. For these patients, telemedicine is not a convenience, it is often the only practical way to access care.
Instead of fully embracing telehealth, policymakers are holding it back. Temporary federal extensions and outdated state-level tele-prescribing rules are artificial barriers to a technology that has already proven its value. Making telehealth deregulation permanent eases doubt about investing leading to expand access, lower costs, and improve healthcare outcomes—especially in rural communities.
Justin Leventhal is a Senior Policy Analyst for the American Consumer Institute, a nonprofit education and research organization that advocates for consumers through evidence-based analysis and data. Follow Justin on X @JustinLeventhal.