A provision in the CARES Act of 2020 allowed patients increased access to telehealth. Under the law, employees with high-deductible health plans and Health Savings Accounts (HDHP-HSAs) were able to receive telehealth benefits pre-deductible, rather than having to meet certain out-of-pocket thresholds before telehealth would be covered by their employer or health plan. However, that provision expired on 12/31/2021. Congress has not acted to restore the provision so those affected are now having to pay the cost of telehealth as part of their deductible. The Employee Benefit Research Institute conducted a survey indicating that 96 percent of employers were utilizing that law to offer telehealth coverage pre-deductible to 32 million employees across the country. Nearly 200 pending pieces of federal legislation seek to accomplish increased access to telehealth, but at this time most have not moved past the point of being introduced and the fate of each remains unknown. Contact your representative and senators to pass legislation to improve access to telehealth.