Congress Extends Telehealth Flexibilities Through September 2025
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through September 30, 2025. This legislation includes critical extensions of telehealth provisions, ensuring that millions of Americans continue to access essential healthcare services remotely.
Key Extensions in the Continuing Resolution
1. Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities: The CR extends several Medicare telehealth flexibilities initially set to expire on March 31, 2025. These extensions include:
• Geographic and Originating Site Restrictions: Medicare beneficiaries can continue to receive telehealth services regardless of their location, including from their homes, eliminating previous geographic limitations.
• Expanded Practitioner Eligibility: A broader range of healthcare professionals, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists, remain eligible to provide telehealth services.
• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs): These facilities can continue serving as distant site providers for telehealth services, a crucial provision for underserved and rural communities.
2. Audio-Only Telehealth Services: The authorization for audio-only telehealth services is extended, benefiting patients without access to video technology or reliable internet services.
3. Acute Hospital Care at Home Program: The CR prolongs the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver, allowing hospitals to provide hospital-level care in patients’ homes, thus expanding capacity and reducing infection risks.
Implications for Healthcare Stakeholders
• Patients: The extension ensures uninterrupted access to telehealth services, offering convenience and reducing the need for travel, particularly benefiting those in rural or underserved areas.
• Healthcare Providers: Providers can continue offering a broader range of services remotely, maintaining continuity of care and potentially reducing overhead costs associated with in-person visits.
• Healthcare Facilities: FQHCs and RHCs can sustain their telehealth services, ensuring that vulnerable populations receive necessary care without geographical barriers.
Industry Reactions
Organizations like ATA Action have praised the inclusion of these telehealth flexibilities in the CR. They emphasize the importance of these provisions in maintaining access to high-quality, convenient, and affordable care. However, they also urge Congress to consider more permanent solutions to solidify telehealth’s role in the healthcare system.
Looking Ahead
While the six-month extension again provides temporary relief, it is time to permanently allow telehealth reimbursement rather than repeatedly applying for extensions.