HIT Consultant (1/5, Pennic) reports, “The AMA is urging Congress to pass permanent authorization of Medicare telehealth services before the current waiver expires on January 30, 2026.” According to HIT Consultant, “This advocacy follows a ‘tumultuous’ 2025 in which a 43-day government shutdown caused a 24% national drop in fee-for-service telemedicine visits, demonstrating the extreme sensitivity of patient access to legislative lapses.” In a recent statement, AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, said, “Since the COVID-19 public health emergency, Congress has repeatedly extended telehealth flexibilities for Medicare patients-often at the last moment-creating uncertainty for millions of patients and their physicians.” Dr. Mukkamala added, “As the current waiver deadline approaches, Congress must finally act decisively to prevent a disruptive and abrupt halt to the expanded telehealth services that have improved care continuity, chronic disease management, and access for rural and underserved communities.”
Related Links:
— “AMA’s Strategic Push for Permanent Medicare Telehealth Reform,”Fred Pennic , HIT Consultant, January 5, 2026