Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer visited Madison County, New York, on Tuesday (November 26), advocating for the continuation of Medicare coverage for telemedicine services. Speaking at Hamilton Memorial Hospital, Schumer highlighted the importance of telehealth, particularly for seniors in rural areas with limited access to healthcare providers.
Nearly 250,000 seniors across Central New York could lose telemedicine coverage through Medicare unless current Covid-era provisions are extended. Schumer emphasized that rural communities would be most affected if telemedicine were to lose Medicare funding. "This helped thousands of seniors in rural areas across Upstate NY when the closest doctor is hours away access critical health care services," Schumer said to syracuse.com.
The senator also noted that the convenience of telemedicine encourages seniors to seek help rather than delay potentially important care. Hamilton Memorial Hospital's CEO and President, Jeff Coakley, added that patients at his rural hospital often receive telemedicine assistance from specialized doctors from nearby Syracuse and as far away as Wisconsin.
Schumer expressed optimism about bipartisan support for the continuation of Medicare's telemedicine coverage beyond December 31, a date he referred to as the "telemedicine cliff." "I’m very eager to see it renewed,” Schumer said. “I think we have a good chance to keep it going.”