Lawmakers missed a deadline to extend telehealth flexibilities in Medicare, disrupting virtual care reimbursement and access for beneficiaries across the country.

After Congress failed to reach a consensus on funding legislation, the federal government shut down at midnight on Wednesday. Democrats and Republicans had clashed for weeks on the deal , largely over whether to extend more generous financial assistance for people who buy insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchanges.

Both Republicans and Democrats had proposed spending packages that would have preserved the telehealth policies through Nov. 21 and Oct. 31, respectively, though the bills didn’t gain traction.

Without a spending plan, the telehealth coverage flexibilities lapsed on Oct. 1. The CMS said Wednesday that many r

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