Beginning Oct. 1, 2025, Medicare is no longer reimbursing for most telehealth visits due to the expiration of temporary federal funding. We are proactively working with patients to ensure continuity of care.
What is Telehealth?
- Telehealth is a method to get medical care from your provider using your phone, tablet or computer – without going to the office in-person.
Why are we addressing Telehealth?
- The Federal Government has not extended the COVID-19 rules that expanded telehealth services for this with Medicare. Beginning Oct. 1, Medicare will require patients to be seen in a provider's office.
- This impacts those with Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans.
- There are some exceptions in which telehealth may still be allowed, this includes patients who live in a rural area, are under treatment for psychiatric disorders, are receiving inpatient treatment at a hospital, hospice care, and those who are residents of a nursing home. If you have questions, please contact your provider.
- Beginning Oct. 1, pre-pandemic telehealth rules will be in place.
What are the pre-pandemic telehealth rules?
- Patients must be in a rural area or there is a provider shortage in that area. Add details on rural area
- Patients had to be in a specific setting such as a provider’s office.
- All telehealth visits must use audio-visual technology.
- There were limitations on which providers could provide telehealth services.
- Providers at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) could not provide telehealth services to patients in other locations.
- Patients were required to have an in-person evaluation 6 months prior to initiating a telehealth behavioral health treatment and needed to be seen annually thereafter.
