Client Alert: Call Waiting: Congress Again Extends Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities Under Continuing Resolution
Date: March 17, 2025
By:
Kyle R. René
- Allowing all Medicare beneficiaries to receive telehealth services from any location, including their home;
- Retaining waiver of geographic restrictions on telehealth (i.e., patients are not required to be located in rural areas);
- Ensuring all Medicare providers eligible to bill Medicare can provide telehealth services (as opposed to only a limited list of eligible provider types);
- Delaying in-person requirements for tele-behavioral/mental health; and
- Allowing audio-only telehealth services.
What This Means for Providers
Providers of telehealth services reimbursable under Medicare and managed Medicare programs (as well as facilities and others with whom such providers are contracted) are encouraged to monitor for updates to the above flexibilities as September, and the current September 30 expiration date for these flexibilities, approaches. Providers should also remain mindful that, although there remain broad telehealth flexibilities under Medicare, such flexibilities do not waive other requirements for Medicare billing and reimbursement, such as the requirement that services be reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of an illness or injury.
If you have questions about Medicare coverage of telehealth services and the latest updates on the extension of applicable telehealth flexibilities (including under state Medicaid programs), please contact krene@whitefordlaw.com.
The information contained here is not intended to provide legal advice or opinion and should not be acted upon without consulting an attorney. Counsel should not be selected based on advertising materials, and we recommend that you conduct further investigation when seeking legal representation.