The Clock is Ticking
It’s Time to Save Telehealth!
What is Happening
Medicare telehealth coverage for speech therapy services will expire on March 31, 2025, unless Congress acts.
As healthcare providers, we're facing a critical moment. We cannot watch silently as millions lose access to the healthcare they need. This isn't just about policy - it's about:
Your rural patients who can't drive 2 hours to appointments
Your stroke survivors who rely on consistent therapy
Your patients with mobility challenges who need care from home
Every future patient who deserves access to quality care
The Real Impact
28 million Americans rely on Traditional Medicare coverage
In 2023, 25% of Medicare beneficiaries utilized telehealth
(But that’s only half of it…)
Another 28 million Americans have Medicare Advantage plans
And, unfortunately, when traditional Medicare makes coverage changes, private insurers typically follow
This means 56 million Americans’ telehealth access hangs in the balance
(Data obtained from CMS, “Medicare Telehealth Trends”)
Why This Matters
When Medicare cuts coverage, it creates a domino effect:
Traditional Medicare stops covering telehealth
Medicare Advantage plans often follow suit
Private insurers typically align their policies with Medicare
The result? Widespread loss of telehealth access across all insurance types
What You Can Do
Take action now by downloading the free Telehealth Advocacy Toolkit which includes templates to help you write personalized letters to your representatives requesting that SLPs become permanent Medicare telehealth providers.
Find your relevant local politicians, including Senators and Representatives, by visiting congress.gov/members
and send your letters!
Inform your patients!
The Telehealth Advocacy Toolkit includes a letter to inform your patients about coverage ending as well as an advocacy letter your patients can use if they are interested in advocating themselves!
Person-Centered Therapy Tip: Write the letter with your patient during one of their sessions!
Every letter matters. Every call counts.
Together, we can protect telehealth access for millions of Americans who need it.
Please share this page with other SLPs for maximum impact!
