2025 was a significant year in healthcare, underscored by the introduction of The Big Beautiful Bill, impacting both care access and coverage for millions, growing workforce shortages (especially impacting specialists like endocrinologists, cardiologists, and behavioral health providers), and rapid digital transformation, particularly with the growing influence (coupled with concern) around how AI will be used in a clinical capacity in the future.
As we enter 2026, we should expect that many of these issues will continue to dominate the headlines, through further legislative changes or the introduction of new regulations, putting in place much needed guardrails to ensure that machine learning is used responsibly without compromising the true potential of the technology. In my role at TeleMed2U, I am invested in seeing where the trajectory of these issues lead in the new year but am also optimistic about what’s next for the future of care delivery and the impact that telemedicine will have in elevating care connections and closing health equity gaps for all. Below I share a snapshot of some of my predictions for the sector in the coming year.
Prediction # 1-The recently launched Rural Health Transformation Program reflects a shared, (and long overdue) recognition that the more than 60 million Americans living in rural areas deserve the same access, efficiency, and coordinated specialty care as individuals living in any other community. In the coming year, we can expect these regions to make significant progress in efforts to expand access to care, a critical opportunity for virtual care. Achieving this will require overcoming longstanding barriers related to investment in internet connectivity infrastructure and reimbursement, steps that will connect even more patients to the care they need without traveling long distances.
Prediction # 2-In October, Trilliant Health reported that in 2024, behavioral health visits among commercially insured individuals in the United States exceeded primary care visits for the first time—totaling 66.4 million compared with 62.8 million primary care visits. Behavioral health accounted for 67% of these telehealth encounters during that same 12-month period. These figures underscore the growing need for additional provider resources to meet surging demand for mental health services. As specialty healthcare delivery becomes more common, and virtual care continues to achieve its full potential, the distinction between in-person and tele-behavioral health delivery is likely to blur even further.
As we enter 2026, we anticipate a shift toward more connected behavioral health ecosystems that integrate both in-person and virtual offerings, augmented with AI-guided mental health support. This evolution will likely include more proactive outreach, greater availability of culturally matched therapists, and enhanced real-time progress tracking. The key takeaway? Making it easier for patients to access timely care will ultimately improve outcomes for both mental and physical health.
Prediction # 3-In 2026, AI will continue to be integrated into the delivery of healthcare as reimbursements continue to decrease, yet costs and demands continue to skyrocket. Advanced technologies such as machine learning and natural language processing will support efforts to match patients with the appropriate specialist, help detect chronic conditions sooner, and arm clinicians with real-time guidance and deeper clinical insights during appointments. Over the next 12 months, these tools will also show their full value by improving collaboration across specialties, monitoring referrals and outcomes, and creating care plans that incorporate a patient’s complete medical history.
At TeleMed2U we are particularly enthusiastic about our work piloting AI bots through our fax queue to process and triage faxes, reducing manual review times by 50–80%, improving routing accuracy and speeding up inbound referrals, results processing, and care coordination. Ultimately, we will realize that this AI-driven, comprehensive patient view coupled with elevated administrative efficiencies will be essential in freeing up providers to make quicker and more accurate clinical decisions.
Prediction # 4- Nationally, across all physician specialties in the United States, The Health Resources and Services Administration predicts that will be a projected shortage of 187,130 full-time equivalent physicians by 2037. And for some specialties, in particular the numbers are even more dire, for example:
- 80% of U.S. counties lack a single Infectious Disease specialist
- More than two-thirds of American counties don’t have a single endocrinologist
- Millions of people in the U.S. live in what’s considered “cardiology deserts.”
- More Than 3.5 Million People are awaiting mental health treatment in the US with average wait times of 48 days
Moving ahead, we can expect payors’ attitudes toward specialty telemedicine, like the timely, high-quality care offered by TeleMed2U to evolve as efforts to fill these care gaps becomes increasingly urgent. What was once viewed as a narrow, niche service is increasingly being acknowledged for its ability to expand access, enhance care quality, elevate the management of complex chronic conditions, and reduce overall costs. The next priority will be validating this shift with strong data. It is here that being able to demonstrate tangible improvements in health outcomes, fewer hospitalizations, and a better experience for members will be especially critical to driving growth for the offering.
Looking towards 2026, strengthening care connections will remain a key differentiator for health plans. I have hope that this is the year that specialty telemedicine gains the recognition it deserves for the important role it can play helping patients avoid serious complications from chronic conditions such as heart failure, COPD, and diabetes, ultimately supporting better long-term health.
Prediction # 5-Telemedicine offers the technological framework to deliver care that is more integrated, efficient, cost-effective, and outcome-focused, which aligns directly with the core objectives of value-based care. However, in order to truly succeed in this model, it will be imperative that health plans implement the right balance of high-touch and high-tech approaches. This needs to begin with leveraging the value generated from human interactions between patients and providers or care teams, especially in complex care management situations, along with the trust built between them, before integrating technology. It is in these contexts where human expertise and technology seamlessly converge that both clinical and financial outcomes will be the most significantly enhanced.
# # #
In recent weeks, the healthcare industry saw the introduction of the CMS ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model, an outcomes-aligned payment approach in Original Medicare to expand access to new technology-supported care options to help people improve their health and prevent and manage chronic disease. This is an initiative that I can definitely get behind, especially as it emphasizes outcomes over activities, enabling clinicians to offer innovative technology-supported care that improves patients’ health while complementing traditional care. In 2026, I look forward to seeing more progress from the current administration in support of leveraging technology-supported services to elevate access to specialty care for everyone who needs it.
