Temporary measures that have broadened Medicare coverage of telehealth since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic will expire soon, putting providers and some Medicare beneficiaries at risk for interruption in care. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Congress and HHS temporarily lifted restrictions on telehealth, and many of those temporary measures have been extended several times since then or made permanent. Now, they are set to expire Dec. 31, 2024.
Pending legislation (H.R. 7623, the Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024) would create more certainty for patients and providers, mostly by further extending the existing telehealth policies past the Dec. 31, 2024 expiration date. Without an extension, though, telehealth for those in original Medicare (those with Parts A &B, not C, which is Medicare Advantage):
- Will only be permitted for those in rural areas and only at certain locations, like a medical office, except for behavioral or mental health services and under some other circumstances;
- Will be available only from certain provider types, and not any provider who can bill Medicare; and
- Will require mostly the use of audio-visual communication technology, instead of just audio technology. (Some exceptions apply for behavioral and mental health services and in other situations.)
Other restrictions will apply, too.
CMS analysis of Part B claims data suggests that, while telehealth use has dropped sharply since the end of the pandemic, it is still higher than pre-pandemic levels. With about 3 weeks left for Congress to act, providers may want to consider their contingency plans for telehealth appointments falling in early January 2025.