Will Medicare continue to pay for telehealth in 2025?

Asked by: Mr. Terence Bednar V  |  Last update: March 21, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (44 votes)

Medicare patients can receive telehealth services for non-behavioral/mental health care in their home through March 31, 2025. There are no geographic restrictions for originating site for Medicare non-behavioral/mental telehealth services through March 31, 2025.

Will Medicare cover virtual visits in 2025?

Through March 31, 2025, you can get telehealth services at any location in the U.S., including your home. Starting April 1, 2025, you must be in an office or medical facility located in a rural area (in the U.S.) for most telehealth services.

What is the new Medicare rule for 2025?

Beginning January 1, 2025, people with Part D plans through traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage won't pay more than $2,000 over the calendar year in out-of-pocket costs for their prescription medications.

Will telehealth be extended?

H.R. 10545 extends certain telehealth flexibilities through March 31, 2025. These include: Removing geographic requirements and expanding originating sites for telehealth services.

What are the updates for telehealth in 2024?

Through December 31, 2024, all patients can get telehealth wherever they're located. They don't need to be at an originating site, and there aren't any geographic restrictions. A distant site is the location where a physician or practitioner provides telehealth.

NEW: 2025 Medicare Cost Increases CONFIRMED - New Cost Breakdown 💵

17 related questions found

Is Medicare going to stop paying for telehealth?

Extensions of telehealth access options

Medicare patients can receive telehealth services for non-behavioral/mental health care in their home through March 31, 2025. There are no geographic restrictions for originating site for Medicare non-behavioral/mental telehealth services through March 31, 2025.

Will telehealth ever go away?

Telemedicine health care has grown in the United States since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and will remain an integral part of medical care. Telemedicine is well received by many patients and health care providers but remains more accessible to certain groups of patients than others.

Is telehealth therapy ending?

Unlike the DEA flexibilities, many of the COVID-era flexibilities for traditional Medicare coverage of telehealth services will end on December 31, 2024. Despite bipartisan support, congressional action is required to extend broad coverage for certain telehealth services existing since March 2020.

Does telehealth cost more?

At workloads <110, telehealth is more expensive than conventional care; at very low workloads (n=20), telehealth is around 20 times more expensive than conventional care per consultation; at high workloads (n=200), telehealth costs around 67% of conventional care per consultation.

Why has telehealth taken so long in the healthcare industry?

The reasons for the slow adoption of such technology-driven services have been attributed to social norms, health care policies, and a lack of infrastructure to support the delivery of services.

What will happen to Medicare in 2026?

The Contract Year (CY) 2026 MA and Part D proposed rule aims to hold MA and Part D plans more accountable for delivering high-quality coverage so that people with Medicare are connected to the care they need when they need it.

Why are hospitals refusing Medicare Advantage plans?

Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers. In 2023, Becker's began reporting on hospitals and health systems nationwide that dropped some or all of their Medicare Advantage contracts.

How much will Medicare cost me in 2025?

If you don't get premium-free Part A, you pay up to $518 each month. If you don't buy Part A when you're first eligible for Medicare (usually when you turn 65), you might pay a penalty. Most people pay the standard Part B monthly premium amount ($185 in 2025).

How many therapy sessions does Medicare pay for?

Yes, Medicare does limit the number of counseling sessions, specifically under Medicare Part B. Initially, you're allowed up to 20 outpatient individual or group therapy sessions per year. However, it's important to note that further sessions may be authorized if deemed medically necessary by your healthcare provider.

What is the physician fee schedule cut for 2025?

Physician payments decline: Our societies will continue to urge Congress to reverse the 2.83 percent cut to Medicare physician reimbursement announced in the 2025 fee schedule. This cut is based on a proposed 2025 physician conversion factor of $32.3465 from the current CY 2024 conversion factor of $33.2875.

Is Teladoc covered by Medicare?

Teladoc is free for L.A. Care Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Covered, L.A. Care Medicare Plus and PASC-SEIU Plan members. Pre-approval is not needed. Please note that Medi-Cal Members who have additional Medicare coverage may not be eligible, such as Full Dual CCI – Partial Dual Part B members.

What is the biggest disadvantage to telehealth?

Telehealth Barriers. Some disadvantages of telehealth include limitations with performing comprehensive physical examinations, possibilities for technical difficulties, security breaches, and regulatory barriers.

How much is a Teladoc visit without insurance?

You can create an account to confirm your coverage or see the pricing ranges below: With insurance, General Medical visits can be as low as $0 (based on your benefits) per visit. Without insurance, General Medical is $89 per visit.

How do you know if your insurance covers telehealth?

Many insurances treat telehealth visits like in-person ones. Before you have a telehealth visit, call your health insurance or provider to find out how much it might cost.

What are the changes to telehealth in 2024?

Beginning May 12, 2024, practices are no longer allowed to waive cost-sharing for telehealth services provided to Medicare beneficiaries.

Is telehealth here to stay?

Notwithstanding, the evidence on the use of telehealth clearly supports its practice and expansion. Pandemic-related mandates to socially distance have pushed telehealth into new sectors of the health care sphere, and most of us have now had telehealth experience, both as providers and maybe also as patients.

Does Medicare cover therapy over the phone?

Telehealth services are covered under Medicare Part B and include services that diagnose, evaluate, and treat mental health needs, which can be furnished to patients in their homes. Many Medicare providers can provide telehealth services.

Will telehealth be covered in 2025?

The Medicare telehealth waivers, originally enacted as part of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and subsequently extended through legislation, were set to end on December 31, 2024. These flexibilities, along with the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program, are now set to expire March 31, 2025.

Did Medicare extend telehealth by 2 years?

As expected, the final package also includes a two-year extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities like expanding geographic and originating sites and allowing more provider types to bill for telehealth visits.

What is the future of telemedicine?

Interest in telemedicine continues to rise, with online doctor consultations projected to increase by 13.7 million between 2024 and 2028, an 11.74% growth. This trend reflects a preference for cyber consultations, with over 50% of U.S. patients finding virtual visits more convenient than traditional ones.