Senators Take Scalpel, Not Buzzsaw, to Medicare Telehealth Curbs

Key senators are backing extensions of some policies that expanded access to telehealth services over the past year as questions around cost and quality hamper a broad loosening of restrictions to remote care.

Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said Wednesday that Medicare beneficiaries should be able to access mental health services via telehealth. His committee is looking at which policies enacted temporarily during the Covid-19 pandemic should be made permanent, he said.

“My view is that mental health service ought to be available for telehealth for everybody,” Wyden said during a hearing by his panel.

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