Telehealth Archives

Congress Passes Spending Bill, Extends Telehealth Flexibilities

By Renee Dustman

In Coding

Feb 4th, 2026

No Comments

Skirting a reenactment similar to the movie “Groundhog Day,” on Feb. 3, President Trump signed into law H.R.7148 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. We all held our breath for a few days as Jan. 30 came and went, not knowing if Congress would agree on a spending bill that would keep everything up and running. ...

Spotlight on 2026 Medicare Policy Changes

By Renee Dustman

In Billing

Jan 6th, 2026

3 Comments

A new year always means policy changes in healthcare. In 2026, as in past years, there are changes to medical coding, payer policies, fee schedules, federal regulations, and just about everything else. Here are highlights of several pertinent changes that will affect Medicare-enrolled providers this year. Key Changes for 2026 In a letter to providers, ...

psychiatrist with patient performing remote mental health services

Telehealth Flexibility Extended Through 2026

By Renee Dustman

In Billing

Jan 6th, 2026

No Comments

Patients will be relieved to know that they may continue to receive prescriptions for controlled medications via telehealth without a prior in-person visit with their doctor. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced in a Jan. 2 press release a fourth temporary extension of the COVID-19 era policy waiver, which runs from ...

CMS Adds Telehealth Waiver to TEAM

By Renee Dustman

In Billing

Dec 2nd, 2025

No Comments

In an MLN Matters® article, released Nov. 21, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) relays participation and payment criteria for telehealth services billed under the Implementing the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM). Acute care hospitals participating in TEAM, physicians, and other providers delivering telehealth services to TEAM-eligible patients should be aware o...

Telehealth Waivers Temporarily Extended Once Again

By Renee Dustman

In Billing

Nov 21st, 2025

1 Comment

Medicare policy waivers for telehealth services are back on, retroactively effective for claims with dates of service on or after Oct. 1, 2025. In case you haven’t been following along, here’s a timeline of policy changes just for 2025: Do you have S13.4 yet? Current Medicare Telehealth Policy Section 6208 of the Act quietly extended ...