1. United States
2. Letter

Hello Vice President! I look forward to voting for you in this election. I would like to bring attention to an issue with Medicare that I believe should be addressed. What I am reading is that Medicare is paying for telehealth appointments only through the end of this calendar year. I hope this can change and make telehealth a permanent part of Medicare coverage. In many parts of the country, there are not enough providers and telehealth offers healthcare for people who otherwise would have to travel to another town to see their doctor. This is a serious barrier to service that is unnecessary in this century. Even in my own town of Olympia WA (not exactly rural America), having the option of using telehealth has allowed me to see a primary care physician when otherwise I would not have one due to the scarcity of primary care in my town. Telehealth allows people to have greater choices in providers without having to complicate matters by driving to another town or securing public transportation, an added stressor that many people have trouble negotiating. Seriously, there is zero reason why telehealth should not be a choice of standard practice. I am hoping that your administration (because you are going to WIN!) will permanently extend this benefit to those of us who are on Medicare. Sincerely, Melissa White, Olympia, WAshington