Thousands of kupuna impacted by expiration of Medicare telehealth benefits

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Due to a lack of specialists on Kauai to treat her rare autoimmune disease, Rhian Campbell has been relying on telehealth benefits under her Medicare coverage to connect with a rheumatologist on Oahu.

But Campbell said her virtual appointment for Wednesday was canceled because telehealth benefits for Medicare had expired.

The program ended after Congress failed to pass legislation to extend benefits beyond Sept. 30, which was also when the impasse on extending funding led to a government shutdown .

“There was just no warning at all, and I know that a lot of people rely on that telehealth,” Campbell said.

Campbell was diagnosed with relapsing polychondritis, which can lead to episodes of inflammation throughout the body, and began to affect Campbell’s airway