Medicare Enrollees Just Lost Their Telehealth Coverage. Here’s What That Means.

As of October 1, millions of seniors who rely on Medicare have lost access to at-home telehealth visits. The reason? A special program created during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has expired, and with the government shutdown delaying congressional action, lawmakers haven’t renewed it.

While some mental health telehealth services remain covered, other services like chronic care check-ins and primary care visits are no longer covered. For now, older adults who depended on this coverage are left in limbo.

How did this happen?

In 2020, as COVID-19 swept across the country, Congress took emergency action. Normally, Medicare only covered telehealth visits if patients lived in rural areas and traveled to a clinic or hospital to connect virtually with a provider. That changed when lawmakers temporarily allowed seniors to see doctors from home via telehealth.

The goal was simple: keep older adults—those most vulnerable to the virus—out of crowded healthcare facilities while still giving them access to essential care. It worked. Millions of Medicare enrollees used telehealth services for everything from primary care check-ins to behavioral health visits.

But the program was never made permanent. And as of October 1, 2025, the expanded coverage officially expired.

Why this matters

Telehealth has become a lifeline for older adults. Nearly half of all Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth in 2020, proving just how critical it became during the pandemic.

For seniors, telehealth isn’t just a convenient way to get healthcare. In fact, it’s often the difference between getting care and going without. Here’s why:

• Mobility challenges: Many older adults have trouble getting to appointments due to limited transportation or health conditions.
• Chronic conditions: Managing issues like diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis often requires frequent check-ins, which telehealth makes easier.
• Reduced exposure to illness: Seniors are more vulnerable to infections, especially in crowded waiting rooms. Telehealth reduces that risk.
• Access to specialists: Many areas (especially rural ones) have shortages of specialists like geriatricians, physical therapists, and cardiologists. Virtual care can make it easier to connect with those providers, even for seniors who live far from a hospital.

Without Medicare’s telehealth coverage, many seniors may now face gaps in care and delayed treatments, and hefty out-of-pocket costs.

When will telehealth coverage for Medicare enrollees return?

There’s no clear timeline. Until Congress makes telehealth coverage a priority again, Medicare enrollees are left waiting. And with the government shutdown slowing legislative progress, it’s uncertain if or when seniors will regain this benefit.

In the meantime, in-person visits without coverage can be expensive—often hundreds of dollars per appointment. For retirees on fixed incomes, those costs can quickly add up.

How can seniors get telehealth care without Medicare coverage?

Losing Medicare coverage doesn’t mean telehealth is off the table completely. Here are some ways that seniors can get telehealth care even if Medicare doesn’t cover it:

• Direct-pay telehealth care: Seniors can still turn to direct-pay telehealth platforms that don’t require insurance. These services can provide affordable access to doctors, therapists, and specialists at upfront prices.
• Community health centers: Some federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and local clinics offer telehealth services on a sliding scale based on income, even for people without insurance.
• Pharmacy-based care: Some pharmacy chains (CVS MinuteClinic, Walgreens, Walmart) offer low-cost virtual care visits, sometimes bundled with prescription services.
• State and local programs: Depending on the state, some seniors have access to telehealth programs funded by grants or public health departments that offer free or low-cost visits for older adults.

How Sesame can help

Losing Medicare’s telehealth coverage is frustrating, especially for seniors who’ve come to rely on it. But it doesn’t have to mean forgoing your care.

With Sesame, you or a loved one can see a doctor online as soon as today, no insurance needed. The process is simple: browse our licensed providers, choose a visit price and time that works for you, and then join your visit at the scheduled time through a secure video link.

Whether you need a prescription refill, help managing a chronic condition, or just peace of mind about a new symptom, you’ll be able to get the care you need without leaving home. And if you’re not able to get to a pharmacy to pick up your prescription, let your provider know you’d prefer an online pharmacy, so you can get your medication delivered to your door. No long waits. No hidden fees. No insurance needed.