U.S. healthcare unprepared for ‘telehealth cliff’: Black Book Research
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — Healthcare providers across the United States are scrambling to prepare for a potential “telehealth policy cliff” as crucial pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities are set to expire on September 30, 2025.
A new Black Book Research survey reveals that 71% of healthcare organizations feel unprepared for these significant changes that could dramatically impact patient care.
Providers lack emergency plans
The survey of 431 telehealth providers from hospitals, physician practices, and ambulatory clinics shows alarming gaps in readiness.
A staggering 84% of organizations report that their IT and compliance teams lack formal response plans for the upcoming changes. Only 8% of staff have received adequate training or briefing on the impending policy modifications.
These findings underscore a significant disparity between the severity of the impending deadline and the level of organizational readiness. The telehealth flexibilities, which were initially implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed providers to provide remote care without the geographic and facility restrictions that had previously restricted Medicare reimbursement.
What expires on September 30, 2025
Healthcare delivery could experience substantial disruptions if the waivers are not extended by Congress, including:
- Providers would lose the ability to receive Medicare reimbursement for telehealth visits delivered to patients in their homes, forcing a return to pre-pandemic restrictions that limited services to approved originating sites.
- Approximately 65% of survey respondents fear reduced telehealth access for elderly, rural, and minority patients.
- Audio-only telehealth services, which have been crucial for patients without broadband access or smartphones, would also end.
- Nearly 62% of clinicians anticipate scheduling and care delivery disruptions if the waivers are not extended.
- Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists would lose their temporary telehealth eligibility entirely.
Technology gaps add to risks
Additionally, the survey disclosed technological deficiencies that exacerbate these obstacles. Only 29% of organizations report that their electronic health records or telehealth platforms are entirely integrated with the APIs necessary for compliance reporting. Furthermore, 59% of respondents are uncertain about whether their systems meet the requisite authentication and encryption standards.
Healthcare leaders are describing the September deadline as a critical juncture that presents both a substantial risk and an opportunity to establish a more robust telehealth infrastructure. Organizations must advocate for policy extensions to ensure that access to virtual care is preserved as the deadline approaches, while simultaneously developing contingency plans.
