The Pandemic Sparked a Revolution in Trans Care. Washington May Let it Fade Away

This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. When the Covid-19 pandemic reached US shores roughly three years ago this month, it changed everything, including how we handled the medical needs of those who were lucky enough to not have caught Covid-19. Policymakers in Washington didn’t know a lot at that point but they had more than a hunch that it was in everyone’s best interest to keep patients who weren’t battling Covid-19 from sharing the same waiting rooms as those who were, especially if the reason they were meeting with their health care providers was as simple as a prescription renewal, a check-in about an ongoing treatment regimen, or even a physical therapy session that could be done with some props already found in the pantry like canned goods. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] So began a golden age of telemedicine, a coinage that carries decidedly mixed verdicts depending on where the user sits on the political spectrum. Medicare moved to allow virtual or even telephonic doctor visits to keep non-Covid patients away from waiting rooms. Private coverage mirrored that approach without much cajoling from Washington. Many quickly saw the benefits in the break from tradition, as privacy requirements were waived to allow doctors to use platforms like Zoom and email to connect with patients from afar. What had previously been a footnote entrypoint for care s...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Biden Administration Health Care LGBTQ The D.C. Brief Source Type: news