Medicare Telehealth Waivers Continue Until March 2025

Medicare Telehealth Waivers Continue Until March 2025 - Healthcare Law Update - February 2025 - Brach Eichler
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2/7/2025

In late 2024, Congress enacted the American Relief Act, 2025, extending critical programs and appropriations through March 31, 2025. The Act includes a three-month extension through March 31, 2025 of Medicare telehealth waivers initially introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which had been set to expire on December 31, 2024.

The following waivers were extended:

• Removal of geographic restrictions and preservation of the expanded list of originating sites, including patients’ homes.

• Expansion of the list of eligible distant-site practitioners (e.g. physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors).

• Inclusion of federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics serving as distant-site providers.

• Payment for audio-only telehealth services.

• Waiver of in-person visit requirements for behavioral and mental health.

• Inclusion of the Acute Care Hospital at Home waiver. The following waivers were discontinued:

• Reimbursement for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services provided via telehealth.

• Permission for high-deductible health plans to cover telehealth services before the deductible without affecting health saving account eligibility.

Click Here to read the entire February 2024 Healthcare Law Update now!

For more information, contact:
Keith J. Roberts | 973.364.5201 | kroberts@bracheichler.com
Edward J. Yun | 973.364.5229 | eyun@bracheichler.com
Vanessa Coleman | 973.364.5208 | vcoleman@bracheichler.com

*This is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. Please contact the authors if you need specific advice.

Related Practices:   Healthcare Law

Related Industry:   Healthcare