Current Status of Telehealth in the US

Telehealth, sometimes referred to as telemedicine, is the virtual delivery of health care, which can include virtually meeting with a care provider, checking results from labs or x-rays, physical or occupational therapy, and looking at skin problems.¹ Compared with traditional medical appointments, telehealth appointments typically have shorter wait times and can be scheduled more flexibly, making it beneficial for some patients. A 2024 survey estimated that 54% of Americans have had a telehealth visit, with 89% feeling satisfied with their experience, signaling its status as a key component of US healthcare.²

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an expansion of telehealth services in the US. A study of over 36 million individuals in the US found that, from March to June of 2019, only 0.3% of outpatient visits were conducted via telehealth, compared to 23.6% from March to June of 2020—a staggering 766% increase within a year.³ Telehealth’s increased usage has lasted beyond the pandemic: According to the American Hospital Association, the percentage of US hospitals offering telehealth services in 2022 was 86.9%, up from 78.3% in 2019 and slightly higher than 2020 and 2021 levels.⁴

Doximity, an online networking service for medical professionals that also provides telehealth services, publishes an annual “State of Telemedicine Report” that provides information on the current state of telehealth in the US based on an analysis of the service usage and physician surveys. According to the most recent report, 50% of physicians who used telehealth in 2023 are 39 years old or younger.⁵ The most common use cases were for follow-up visits and medication management, and the specialties with the highest rates of telehealth adoption were endocrinology, urology, and gastroenterology.

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred new legislation to ease and expand access to telehealth services. For instance, the CARES Act, the $2.2 trillion stimulus package signed into law at the beginning of the pandemic, included updates to Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services telehealth regulations that lifted restrictions on the use of telehealth. With the changes, patients in all settings, not just rural ones, could receive telehealth under Medicare. Additionally, federally qualified health centers could offer telehealth, and more telehealth services became available.⁶ One change expanded Medicare coverage for audio-only services, which are important for those with limited Internet access.

Various pieces of congressional legislation extended the Medicare flexibilities beyond the pandemic, but the benefits were ultimately set to expire on September 30, 2025—the same day congressional funding expired and the government shut down. As of October 26, 2025, the government remains shut down, and until it reopens, Congress cannot vote to extend the flexibilities. Kyle Zebley, senior vice president of public policy at the American Telehealth Association, noted that older and disabled Americans will be most impacted.⁷

In a statement on the shutdown, the Association also noted that commercial insurers often model their coverage based on Medicare coverage, so in the absence of Medicare coverage for expanded telehealth, there is “growing uncertainty in the marketplace, and concern that commercial payers could soon follow suit if Congress and the Administration do not act quickly.”⁸ For the millions of Americans for whom adequate health care depends on broad insurance coverage of telehealth, these circumstances could be disastrous.

References

1. What can be treated through telehealth? | Telehealth.HHS.gov. https://telehealth.hhs.gov/patients/what-can-be-treated-through-telehealth.
2. Legere, D. 2024 National Telehealth Survey – Public Opinion Strategies. https://pos.org/2024-national-telehealth-survey/ (2024).
3. Weiner, J. P. et al. In-Person and Telehealth Ambulatory Contacts and Costs in a Large US Insured Cohort Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 4, e212618 (2021), DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.2618
4. Fact Sheet: Telehealth | AHA. https://www.aha.org/fact-sheets/2025-02-07-fact-sheet-telehealth (2025).
5. Doximity. Doximity 2024 State of Telemedicine Report. https://www.doximity.com/reports/state-of-telemedicine-report/2024.
6. CARES Act: AMA COVID-19 pandemic telehealth fact sheet. American Medical Association https://www.ama-assn.org/health-care-advocacy/federal-advocacy/cares-act-ama-covid-19-pandemic-telehealth-fact-sheet (2020).
7. Cuevas, -Karina Cuevas Karina. Millions of seniors lose access to telehealth services in wake of shutdown. PBS News https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/millions-of-seniors-lose-access-to-telehealth-services-in-wake-of-shutdown (2025).
8. Cardillo, B. DAY 14 OF THE TELEHEALTH SHUTDOWN: THE “RIPPLE EFFECT” ON TELEHEALTH REIMBURSEMENT – ATA ACTION CALLS FOR SHORT-TERM SOLUTION TO GROWING PATIENT CARE DISRUPTIONS. ATA https://www.americantelemed.org/press-releases/day-14-of-the-telehealth-shutdown-the-ripple-effect-on-telehealth-reimbursement-ata-action-calls-for-short-term-solution-to-growing-patient-care-disruptions/ (2025).