Last week, we were anxiously awaiting a decision on the extension of the telehealth waiver, with the shutdown of the government looming over the proposed bill. Congress swiftly made some changes to the bill that included the extension, and resulted in a signed bill that will allow us to breathe for a little longer, through December 31, 2027.  The new expiration date of December 31, 2027, will, hopefully, provide an extended window for permanent legislation to pass through Congress.  There appears to be support for this to happen; however, the advocacy remains heavily in the hands of providers and provider groups offering these services. 

Here are the details you need to know:

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (CAA, 2026) was signed by President Trump on February 3, 2026, ensuring the continued coverage of the following services that patients and providers alike have come to depend heavily on. There are several key flexibilities that have been extended by CAA, 2026, including:

  • Patient Location: Medicare beneficiaries may keep receiving telehealth services from home, with no rural or originating site limitations, extended through December 31, 2027.
  • Eligible Practitioners: Physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists remain approved telehealth providers, extended through December 31, 2027.
  • Audio-Only Coverage: Audio-only telehealth continues to be reimbursable for patients who cannot use video, extended through December 31, 2027.
  • Mental Health Requirements: The in-person visit mandate for telemental health is postponed until January 1, 2028.
  • Hospital-at-Home: A Longer Extension: The Hospital-at-Home waiver is supporting a five-year renewal, extending its authority through September 30, 2030.

While we have some reprieve for a little while, it is important to note that there is still the possibility of these extensions expiring and reverting back to the pre-pandemic way of life with telehealth.  For now, you can breathe easy, but be proactive and plan for what may come next; from potential government and insurance audits to Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) revisions for how telehealth is handled now and in the future for your practice; make a plan to be prepared for either outcome: permanent legislation or reverting to pre-pandemic guidelines.

For additional background on this topic, please refer to our original blog post, available here.

LW Consulting, Inc. (LWCI) offers a comprehensive range of services to assist your organization in maintaining compliance, identifying trends, providing education and training,  or conducting documentation and coding audits. For more information, contact LWCI to connect with one of our experts!