Medicare telehealth waivers previously extended under the American Relief Act will expire March 31, including allowances that permitted patients to receive telemedicine services from their homes, among others.
The Medicare telehealth waivers were originally authorized during the COVID-19 public health emergency and subsequently extended until Dec. 31, 2024, and then again until the end of March. At that point, unless Congress acts, physicians will again be required to meet with Medicare patients in person before a telehealth mental health consultation, and starting April 1:
- Rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers will no longer receive payment for distant site nonbehavioral telehealth services;
- Audio-only telehealth services will be restricted to Medicare patients that refuse in-person visits or do not have the capabilities of audio-video interaction (geographic site restriction applies);
- Physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists can no longer offer telehealth services; and
- Physicians will again need to meet face-to-face with patients before hospice care recertification.
The Texas Medical Association continues to advocate for the permanent removal of geographic site restrictions so Medicare patients can receive virtual care from the comfort of their own homes.
Likewise, TMA continues to meet with public and private payers to ensure meaningful telehealth payment and policy remain available for Texas patients and the physicians that care for them. In the ongoing Texas legislative session, as part of its 10 key issues, the association is advocating for high-quality, physician-led telemedicine with at least equal pay to in-person care.
Although all major Texas insurers continue to pay physicians for telemedicine services – and do not have to enforce geographic site restriction requirements, unlike Medicare – parity and geographic site regulations remain inconsistent across health plans.
Some Medicare telehealth extensions that will continue until Dec. 31 include:
- Virtual direct supervision for physician teachers through audio and video interactive telecommunication; and
TMA’s updated telehealth waiver chart guides physicians through these changes. Along with the updated waiver chart, find additional telemedicine resources on TMA’s dedicated webpage.
Last Updated On
February 26, 2025
Originally Published On
February 25, 2025
Alisa Pierce
Reporter, Division of Communications and Marketing
(512) 370-1469