As the federal government shutdown lingers, healthcare leaders across the country are calling attention to its impact on telehealth access and reimbursement. A recent Fierce Healthcare article highlights how many organizations, including Access TeleCare, are continuing to deliver care to Medicare patients despite the financial uncertainty caused by the lapse in telehealth flexibilities.
Dr. Chris Gallagher, founder and chief strategy officer at Access TeleCare, emphasized that the company’s decision to continue serving patients comes down to a simple principle: doing the right thing.
“For Access TeleCare we are going at risk by continuing to see Medicare patients. It is the right thing to do but is not sustainable long-term,” Dr. Gallagher said. “The shutdown has already impacted our clients. We have seen clients rethink strategic direction, delay contract signatures. All of this has direct impacts on patient care.”
At Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dr. Helen Hughes, medical director in the institution’s Office of Telemedicine, echoed similar concerns, emphasizing that the priority remains maintaining continuity of care for patients while hoping for swift government action.
“Our top priority is to maintain continuity of care for our patients, and we’re hoping this is a short-lived shutdown,” Hughes said. “Many patients have waited months to see a specialist, and we don’t want to cause unnecessary stress or confusion.”
Together, these healthcare leaders underscore the critical importance of telehealth as a lifeline for patients — not a variable dependent on political cycles.
At Access TeleCare, our stance remains clear: the care goes on because it’s the right thing to do. Our mission has always been to ensure that patients everywhere can access timely, high-quality specialty care through the power of telemedicine regardless of circumstance or location.
