Telehealth Rollbacks Leave Patients Stranded, Some Doctors Say

States are curbing access to telehealth services that were expanded during the pandemic, prompting some doctors and businesses to lobby for a permanent expansion of remote care that they say some patients need.

Most states over the past two years allowed residents to conduct some medical appointments virtually or by phone, by setting rules that required insurers to pay the same for virtual visits and in-person appointments and by eliminating requirements for in-person check-ins. Insurers also expanded coverage of telehealth appointments during the pandemic. The provisions helped patients avoid exposure to Covid-19 and alleviated some of the pressure on overtaxed healthcare workers.