Gas Prices Hurt People Going To The Doctor, But Interstate Telehealth Can Help

Everyone can’t help but notice that since the end of 2020, prices at the pump have nearly doubled across America. Gas costs $4.50 a gallon in Texas, $4.40 in Missouri, and over $6.00 in California. This means double the cost for road trips, commuting to work, and getting groceries. Yet even more tragically, the cost of getting to the doctor’s office has also doubled.

Before the pandemic, some Americans were coughing up the funds to cover 100 mile car rides just to see their doctors—with today’s fuel inflation, some people are now burning an additional $60 in gas on top of the out-of-pocket amount they pay for their medical bills. The solution to saving people from costly medical commutes lies in expired pandemic telehealth rules. In order to help patients avoid electronic wait lists and costly drives, states need to reinstate pandemic-era rules that allow doctors to freely offer interstate telehealth.

Read the full commentary in Forbes