Authored by Sylvia Trujillo
The American Relief Act of 2025: Keeping Telehealth Medicare Coverage and other Flexibilities on the Table — for Now
Over the weekend, the President signed the American Relief Act of 2025, a significant piece of legislation aimed at continuing essential healthcare programs and extending telehealth flexibilities for Medicare beneficiaries through March 31, 2025. This short-term extension provides continued access to telehealth services within the Medicare program.
Key Medicare Telehealth Provisions Extended
The American Relief Act of 2025 includes several important extensions for Medicare beneficiaries.
- Geographic and Originating Site Flexibility: Medicare beneficiaries can continue receiving telehealth services from virtually any location, including their homes until March 31, 2025.
- Expanded Eligible Practitioners: Providers such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists remain eligible to deliver telehealth services, until March 31, 2025.
- Audio-Only Telehealth: Audio-only telehealth services continue to be authorized, which is essential for beneficiaries in areas with limited broadband access or those without video technology, until March 31, 2025.
- Support for FQHCs and RHCs: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) can continue to deliver telehealth services under extended flexibilities until March 31, 2025. This could be viewed as rescinding CMS’ extension of these flexibilities through rulemaking until December 31, 2025.
- Hospice Telehealth: The flexibility to conduct face-to-face encounters for hospice recertification via telehealth has been extended through March 31, 2025.
- Hospital-at-Home Programs: The waiver permitting hospitals to provide acute care in patients’ homes has been extended through March 31, 2025, providing continued support for innovative care models.
- Mental Health Telehealth: The implementation of the in-person visit requirement for mental health telehealth services has been delayed until April 1, 2025.
What Was Left Out?
Notably, the American Relief Act does not address provisions related to the SUPPORT Act, which played a critical role in advancing telehealth for substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health care. The absence of these provisions highlights a gap in extending telehealth services for these areas.
Employers and High-Deductible Health Plans
The new law does not modify IRS rules governing high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). As of January 1, 2025, telehealth services will no longer be considered a permissible benefit under an HDHP without additional legislative action. This limitation could impact access to telehealth for individuals enrolled in these plans.
What’s Next?
Continue to monitor CTRC’s social media and newsletters. We will monitor the implementation of the American Relief Act and provide updates from CMS regarding originating site definitions, provider eligibility, and other key areas.
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