Medicare Telehealth Coverage Faces Expiry Amid US Government Shutdown Risks

Medicare coverage for telehealth services, which has been expanded and extended multiple times since the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to expire on September 30, 2025, unless Congress passes a new funding extension before a potential government shutdown. This expiration would roll back telehealth coverage to pre-pandemic rules, severely limiting patients' ability to receive virtual care from home, particularly impacting homebound and rural patients, as well as those requiring mental health and substance use disorder treatment. Home health agencies warn that losing telehealth flexibilities will restrict patient eligibility and increase operational burdens, hampering care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. Despite bipartisan efforts and stopgap proposals in the House, the Senate has not approved extensions, leaving the future of telehealth coverage uncertain and putting providers and patients in limbo. Advocates emphasize the critical role telehealth plays in ensuring access to safe, convenient healthcare, especially for older adults and underserved communities, urging Congress to make these flexibilities permanent. The ongoing uncertainty also affects healthcare providers' ability to plan and maintain trust with patients.