Op-ed Underscores the Importance of Virtual Care for Arthritis Patients
Congress is urged to act swiftly to protect telehealth for people with barriers to in-person care.
Ahead of upcoming legislative discussions on telehealth flexibility, Alisa Vidulich Casavant, MPH, Senior Director of Policy at the Arthritis Foundation, emphasizes in an op-ed the critical role that virtual care plays for millions of arthritis patients nationwide. The op-ed, published Sept. 13 in DC Journal, highlights the need for swift Congressional action to protect telehealth services, which have become lifelines for those with limited mobility and access to in-person care.
As Casavant writes, “Arthritis is often simplified as joint pain, but this barely conveys the real-life, lasting impact on nearly 60 million adults and children. Many patients struggle to visit specialists in person due to mobility issues, making virtual care a vital tool in managing their health.”
The op-ed discusses the significant shortage of arthritis specialists and how telehealth helps bridge these gaps by reducing geographic barriers, minimizing travel time, and easing work-life challenges for patients and caregivers alike.
There is growing bipartisan momentum to extend these essential telehealth protections, with lawmakers pushing for action to prevent a lapse in telehealth flexibility at the end of the year. “There is overwhelming bipartisan support to safeguard patient access to telehealth without burdensome restrictions,” Casavant writes. “For the millions living with arthritis, we cannot afford to lose this lifeline.”
Read the full op-ed in DC Journal.
As Casavant writes, “Arthritis is often simplified as joint pain, but this barely conveys the real-life, lasting impact on nearly 60 million adults and children. Many patients struggle to visit specialists in person due to mobility issues, making virtual care a vital tool in managing their health.”
The op-ed discusses the significant shortage of arthritis specialists and how telehealth helps bridge these gaps by reducing geographic barriers, minimizing travel time, and easing work-life challenges for patients and caregivers alike.
There is growing bipartisan momentum to extend these essential telehealth protections, with lawmakers pushing for action to prevent a lapse in telehealth flexibility at the end of the year. “There is overwhelming bipartisan support to safeguard patient access to telehealth without burdensome restrictions,” Casavant writes. “For the millions living with arthritis, we cannot afford to lose this lifeline.”
Read the full op-ed in DC Journal.
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