Wen: Telemedicine has improved health-care access. Let’s keep it that way.

Telemedicine has emerged as one of the several crucial innovations coming out the coronavirus pandemic, making it easier for many people to access health care. But as the crisis phase of the pandemic comes to an end, these gains could be rolled back. Policymakers should try to preserve them. Before the pandemic, virtual medical visits were somewhat of a novelty. Telemedicine was mainly envisioned as a service for patients living in remote areas who couldn’t travel to see a specialist physician. That changed with stay-at-home orders. In March 2020, the federal government gave providers broad — but temporary — flexibility to deliver health-care services by two-way video and telephone.