Time is ticking as the window for Medicare recipients to access telehealth services comes to close.
Telehealth is the reason why patients covered by Medicare can see their health care provider without going into a doctor’s office. But after March 31, this will no longer be an option for many, unless Congress acts.
When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a public health emergency in 2020, the federal government acted swiftly to allow hospitals and health systems to utilize telehealth services, ensuring a fast and effective response to the crisis.
But prior to that, patients had to be in a rural or provider-shortage area and a designated setting, like a physician’s office, for telemedicine visits, according to the American Hospital Association. There were also limitations on which providers could offer telehealth services and it required patients to have an in-person visit six months before starting tele-behavioral health treatment and annually after.
The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) waived these restrictions in March 2020. The Medicare telehealth waivers were later extended through legislation, and was set to end on Dec. 31, 2024.
At the end of 2024, former president Joe Biden signed the American Relief Act, 2025 into law, which included provisions to extend temporary Medicare telehealth coverage waivers for an additional three months.
According to Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island), there is significant lawmaker support for legislation that would extend telehealth for seniors on Medicare.
“Telehealth has become a convenient way for senior citizens with transportation and mobility issues to be seen more regularly by doctors to maintain their health and wellness to the best of their ability,” Malliotakis said. “Our Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed the extension last year and we are hopeful it will be approved by the full Congress before the deadline.”
According to the AARP, a poll executed by the organization in January 2024 showed nearly three-quarters of adults 50 and older used telehealth services at least once in the past 12 months.
Patients can receive telehealth services anywhere in the U.S., including at home, through March 31, 2025. Starting April 1, 2025, most telehealth services will only be available to patients in an office or medical facility located in a rural area.
However, some Medicare telehealth services will still be available, even if not in a rural setting, including:
- Monthly End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) visits for home dialysis.
- Services for the diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of symptoms of an acute stroke, including in a mobile stroke unit.
- Services for the diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of mental and/or behavioral health disorders (including substance use disorders) at home.
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