Telehealth CMS Policy Update
Congress has passed a Continued Resolution (CR) to fund the government through March 31, 2025. On December 21, 2024, President Biden signed the bill, which included the rollback of the healthcare provision to extend the pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities set to expire from December 31, 2024, through March 31, 2025. Included in the provision was removing the geographic pre-pandemic requirements and expanding:
The originating sites for telehealth services
Expanding practitioners allowed to provide telehealth
Delaying the in-person requirements under Medicare for mental health services furnished through telehealth and telecommunications technology
Allowing for audio-only telehealth visits
For physician practices providing telehealth services, we will continue to use the E/M codes 99202-99215 with the appropriate telehealth modifier(s) until March 31, 2025. Remember that Medicare does not recognize the new CPT codes (98000-98015) for telehealth services but does still recognize the E/M codes and other telehealth services. This will remain the case until CMS, under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, removes the status (non-covered) indicator tied to the new CPT telehealth codes (98000-98015).
We will keep you up to date as changes occur or are modified based on the passage of this bill (H.R. 10545), which can be viewed at: