Welcome to "The Telehealth Policy Scoop," your essential, slightly sarcastic, and utterly indispensable weekly dive into the rapidly evolving world of telehealth policy. In this July 11, 2025 episode, we're unpacking critical developments that are impacting the future of digital health – and trust us, you won't want to miss a single, dramatic, policy-filled moment.
This Week's Highlights: Hold onto your stethoscopes!
CTeL in Action: Where the Magic (and Policy) Happens! Missed the latest Telehealth Working Group? Don't despair! We'll tell you how to catch the recording in your CTeL member profile here. Plus, get ready for an essential webinar next week with the incomparable Nora Cox, nationally recognized healthcare advocate and CEO of the Texas eHealth Alliance. She's going to cut through the complexities of looming Medicaid cuts and illuminate the path forward, because who needs a crystal ball when you have Nora? Register here before you're left in the dark!
Industry Under Pressure: Because Apparently, Cybersecurity is Optional Now? A new report from Black Book Market Research reveals a trend that makes us want to hide under our desks: rural providers might be slashing cybersecurity investments in response to impending funding gaps, despite escalating cyberattacks. So, if your telehealth platform suddenly starts playing kazoo music instead of connecting you to a doctor, you know who to blame (and it's not the kazoos). We'll also break down the Supreme Court's ruling in McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates, Inc. v. McKesson Corp, which opens digital health companies to higher litigation risks surrounding AI-automated messages without proper consent. Basically, your chatbot better have a lawyer on speed dial.
AI Takes the Lead in Funding: Skynet for Healthcare? On a slightly less terrifying note, digital health venture funding continued to grow in the first half of 2025, with AI startups capturing the majority of investments for the first time. We're not saying prepare for robot doctors, but maybe start practicing your "beep boop" noises just in case.
Administration & Oversight: Mass Layoffs and AI-Generated Fraud – What Could Go Wrong? The Supreme Court has allowed federal government mass layoffs to continue, impacting agencies like HHS. So, if your government contact suddenly goes radio silent, it might not be personal. Meanwhile, CMS has updated its "Medicare & Mental Health Coverage" resource booklet with crucial info on digital mental health devices and telehealth requirements. The Justice Department also announced its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, showcasing how AI is being used to identify fraud schemes. One particular highlight? Individuals who used AI-generated audio of Medicare beneficiaries consenting to receive products. We're pretty sure "I consent to this new back massager" should still come from a real human, people!
Congressional Crossroads: Shutdowns, Rescissions, and "Crypto Week"?! We delve into the looming Congressional battleground of rescissions, with a statutory deadline of July 18 to codify spending cuts. The specter of a government shutdown also looms large, threatening the expiration of vital telehealth expansion waivers. Because nothing says "stable healthcare policy" like a good old-fashioned D.C. stalemate! And if that wasn't enough, get ready for "Crypto Week" in the House, as leaders aim to pass bills establishing a regulatory framework for digital assets. Fingers crossed they don't accidentally regulate actual Bitcoin into oblivion.
Why You NEED to Come Back Next Week (and Every Week!):
Because where else are you going to get this level of insightful, witty, and slightly alarming policy analysis? We're your weekly dose of sanity (and occasional insanity) in the wild west of telehealth. Plus, you never know what new legislative curveball Congress will throw our way!
Sign-up to get the scoop right to your inbox each week.
Mark Your Calendars! Don't Miss Our Digital Health Showcase!
Join us on September 23rd for our highly anticipated Digital Health Showcase! Get a sneak peek at the cutting-edge innovations shaping the future of healthcare. It's going to be bigger, brighter, and more digital than ever before! FREE to attend and exhibit for CTeL members, fee for non-CTeL exhibitors will apply.
September 23, 2025 from 11 to 2:00 PM Rayburn Foyer, Capitol Hill: Register Now!
Want the inside track? Become a CTeL Member!
If you're serious about staying ahead of the curve, influencing policy, and getting exclusive access to resources like our Telehealth Working Group recordings (and avoiding future kazoo-playing telehealth platforms), you need to be a CTeL member! Join the CTeL family today and unlock a world of telehealth wisdom!
Share this post