Before the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), Medicare telehealth coverage was very limited. For example, before the PHE, telehealth services were:
- Generally only covered in rural areas, and you would still have to go to a specific “originating site” (often a different medical office or clinic) to receive the telehealth.
- Generally only covered if provided via interactive, two-way audio and video technology
- Limited to certain providers, such as physicians and nurse practitioners
During the PHE, telehealth coverage was temporarily expanded to include more flexibilities and allow more people to receive care from their homes. These flexibilities have been extended through January 30, 2026.
Through January 30, 2026, telehealth services are:
- Covered for all beneficiaries in any geographic area, at home in addition to health care settings.
- Sometimes delivered using audio only
- Provided by any health care professional that was eligible to bill Medicare
After January 30, 2026, most telehealth services will again be more limited unless Congress acts. For now, only some of the broader telehealth coverage has been made permanent.
After January 30, 2026, telehealth services will likely be:
- Still available regardless of geographic area for certain types of care
- For example: Behavioral/mental health care, monthly End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) visits for home dialysis, diabetes self-management training, and Medicare nutrition therapy
- Still able to be delivered using audio-only communication platforms for behavioral/mental health care
- Subject to pre-PHE restrictions for other types of care