Telehealth waivers, originally instituted during the COVID-19 public health emergency and previously extended by Congress through the end of 2024, were set to expire Jan. 1, 2025.
The American Relief Act, signed into law Dec. 21, 2024, also extends physician payment for audio-only telehealth services and established payment for telehealth services provided by federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.
The continuation of Medicare telehealth flexibilities follows another recent telemedicine extension by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that allows physicians to virtually prescribe certain controlled medications via telehealth through Dec. 31. These flexibilities apply to schedule II through V controlled substances, including those approved by the Food and Drug Administration for maintenance and withdrawal management treatment of opioid use disorder – via audio-video telemedicine visits without having conducted an in-person medical evaluation of the patient.
Check out the Texas Medical Association’s “Post PHE Telehealth Guidance” document:
