WASHINGTON—Congress officially extended Medicare telehealth flexibilities through Dec. 31, 2027, as part of the newly signed federal funding bill. In response, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released updated telehealth frequently asked questions (FAQ) sheet to provide clarity on what the extension means for both patients and providers.
The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors.
The updated FAQ, published on Feb. 4, 2026, outlines how telehealth services will continue operating under these extended rules—confirming that beneficiaries may keep accessing many telehealth services from their homes and that expanded provider and service allowances remain in place through 2027.
Questions included in the FAQ sheet are:
- Do Medicare beneficiaries need to be located in a rural area and in a medical facility in order to receive Medicare telehealth services?
- Through December 31, 2027, beneficiaries can receive Medicare telehealth services anywhere in the United States and territories. Starting January 1, 2028, except for behavioral health services, beneficiaries will generally need to be in a medical facility and in a rural area to receive Medicare telehealth services.
- Can outpatient therapy, diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition therapy services be furnished remotely by hospital staff to beneficiaries in their homes?
- CMS is continuing to align payment policies for outpatient therapy services, diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition therapy services furnished remotely by hospital staff to beneficiaries with policies for Medicare telehealth services. Therefore, through December 31, 2027, hospitals may bill for these services. Starting January 1, 2028, hospitals may no longer bill for these services when furnished remotely by hospital staff to beneficiaries in their homes.
- Will in-person visit requirements apply to behavioral health services furnished by professionals through Medicare telehealth? What about behavioral health services furnished remotely by hospital staff to beneficiaries in their homes, or behavioral health visits furnished by RHCs and FQHCs where the patient is present virtually?
- Section 1834(m) of the Act requires an in-person, non-telehealth visit within 6 months prior to the first mental health telehealth service, effective after December 31, 2027... These in-person visits may be performed by a physician or practitioner of the same specialty within the same group practice as the physician or practitioner who furnishes the telehealth service, if the physician or practitioner who furnishes the telehealth service is not available.
- Are there frequency limitations for subsequent inpatient and nursing facility visits and critical care consultations?
- No. In the CY 2026 PFS final rule, we permanently removed the application of telehealth frequency limits on subsequent inpatient and nursing facility visits and critical care consultations effective January 1, 2026.
To access the FAQs click here.