March 31, 2025

Veronica Movchan

11th Grade

Brooklyn Technical High School

The COVID-19 pandemic forced an abrupt and unprecedented change in the American healthcare system by highlighting pre-existing vulnerabilities and demanding different priorities for the nation’s health. Various policies have emerged to address these concerns, such as the expansion of telemedicine and new hospital regulations. These changes reflect a transformation that, if sustained, could forever alter how we approach healthcare in the United States. While numerous pandemic-era policies have proven to be short-term, COVID-19 has set the stage for a more fundamental and lasting shift- one that redefines the healthcare system’s role in society and prepares it for the nation’s evolving needs.

Despite the Global Health Security Index (John Hopkins University’s assessment of global health security) ranking the US as the best-prepared country for a pandemic in 2021, the US “account[ed] for more than fifteen percent of the officially reported COVID deaths, upwards of 6.5 million as of May 2023.” These statistics become truly shocking when we realize that the US is only home to about 4% of the world’s population. The US had a high COVID-19 death rate because of the nation’s unpreparedness for a public health crisis, compounded by existing inequities in healthcare access. New York City hospitals—such as the Elmhurst Hospital in Queens—reported patient-to-worker ratios of 23:1 in emergency rooms, a ratio typically maintained at 4:1. It is undeniable that America’s pre-existing system was unprepared for times of crisis. 

In response to overwhelmed hospitals, Congress expanded the use of Telemedicine, clinical services provided by physicians to patients digitally, in March 2020. Zoom and other communication programs provided Telehealth a platform to extend their services and continue medical education and provider training. As Telehealth gained popularity, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) allowed medicare beneficiaries to receive services remotely and eased restrictions on virtual healthcare. From a policy perspective, these solutions broadened accessibility, particularly for rural and underserved communities. Patients who otherwise would have been unable to receive care due to geographic constraints, transportation issues, lack of support, and more, were provided a lifeline through Telemedicine. The expansion was necessary for national progress and was long overdue. 

However, medical accessibility is necessary at all times, not exclusively during pandemics. While certain practices such as curfews and mask regulations were made to be temporary, it was a mistake for Telemedicine to be restricted to mental health and primary consultations once the public health emergency was over. By failing to make these changes permanent, Congress and policymakers have disregarded the social inequity issues that Telemedicine addresses and missed an opportunity to make healthcare more accessible, equitable, and efficient.

The “flexible hospital bed capacity” policy was another innovative response to alleviate the overwhelming strain on healthcare facilities. This policy extended hospital designations to non-traditional spaces such as makeshift wards in hotels, arenas, and more. While the safety implications of this policy invalidate it as a permanent system, the fact that hospitals had to implement it, despite the health risks, exposes the inefficiencies and bureaucratic obstacles that limit the healthcare system’s ability to adapt quickly. These relaxed regulations should serve as a model for permanent healthcare reforms. To address future public health challenges effectively, the healthcare system must adopt greater flexibility and agility, ensuring it can swiftly scale and innovate as needed. Reverting to outdated and unsafe regulatory structures would forgo further progress and diminish the healthcare system’s capacity to respond to emerging crises.

The pandemic exposed deep-rooted challenges related to access, flexibility, and systemic inequities within America’s healthcare system. Expanded Telehealth services highlighted how geographic and socio-economic barriers can, in fact, be mitigated. The relaxation of regulatory restrictions demonstrated the benefits of a more flexible, adaptable healthcare system. However, these changes were only temporary. The focus must shift from returning to the status quo to implementing systemic changes that build on the lessons learned during the pandemic. This includes making temporary policies permanent.