Telehealth for Medicare patients is on the chopping block as Congress narrows in on an extension deadline. 'The uncertainty creates a lack of trust,' healthcare CEO says

Congress is once again closing in on a deadline to extend Medicare coverage of home telehealth services. And, again, the decision has been left until the last minute.

Telehealth has had new flexibilities since the Covid-19 public health emergency began, including expanded Medicare reimbursement. Originally scheduled to sunset alongside the emergency’s declared end, these flexibilities have been extended over and over again, often just weeks before planned expirations hit.

Congress has seen several bipartisan bills ranging from another extension to even making some Medicare flexibilities for telehealth permanent. The House included an extension in a stopgap bill that aimed to avoid a looming government shutdown, but the Senate rejected it last week.

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