In the past severalmonths, novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has risen from humblebeginnings in a Wuhan farmer's market to international status:dominating the news cycle, exhausting the world's hand sanitizerresources, and generally monopolizing the mental real estate of thedeveloped world.

As new cases continue to be identified in the U.S.,some politicians are starting to give coronavirus the attention itdeserves, responding to initial accusations of inadequacy withproposals for funding and reimbursements for testing and otherprecautionary measures.

One of the primary targets of this emergency fundingis telehealth. New York's Governor Cuomo and the NY Department ofFinancial services released a directive encouraginginsurers to develop telehealth programs with participatingproviders. Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego announced hewas introducing a bill that would allow Medicaid to cover allCOVID-19-related charges, including virtual appointments. Majorhealth industry groups like the Connected Health Initiative and theAmerican Medical Association advocated for the Department of Healthand Human Services to expand access to telehealth and offerMedicaid reimbursements for telemedicine in emergencysituations.