Medicare Just Got Rid of a Big Benefit. Here's How It Could Affect You. | The Motley Fool

"The COVID-19 pandemic changed society in 2020. Schools closed down. Employees were told to work from home. And going to the doctor for routine visits suddenly became a risky prospect. In response to the circumstances at hand, Medicare expanded enrollees' access to telehealth services in early 2020 to ensure that seniors could safely tend to their medical needs from home. And for several years that followed, the waivers enacted in 2020 remained in place, allowing Medicare enrollees to continue using telehealth services."

"But on Jan. 31, Medicare stopped covering telehealth on a broad level. Now, many enrollees will not be able to get care remotely. And it's a problem. A service that benefited many people just largely went away While telehealth may have been necessary back in 2020, since then, it's been a huge benefit to retirees who have mobility issues or lack access to reliable transportation. But effective Jan. 31, Medicare now only covers telehealth services in limited situations."

"If you're someone with mobility issues or you find it hard to physically get to the doctor, Medicare's new telehealth rules might be a huge blow. But there may be a step you can take to get better access to remote care -- switch to a Medicare Advantage plan. If you're not on Medicare Advantage now, you may need to wait until Medicare's fall open enrollment period to choose a plan."

Medicare expanded telehealth access in early 2020 to let seniors receive care from home, and waivers kept those flexibilities in place for several years. As of Jan. 31, broad Medicare telehealth coverage ended, leaving remote care available mostly for behavioral services and certain rural enrollees. The change reduces access for retirees with mobility or transportation challenges who relied on telehealth. Some Medicare Advantage plans commonly offer additional benefits, including broader telehealth access. Enrollees who want those benefits may need to enroll in Medicare Advantage during the fall open enrollment period beginning Oct. 15.

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