Overview
- President Donald Trump signed a stopgap funding law on Nov. 12 that restores pandemic-era virtual care rules and authorizes retroactive reimbursement for services provided since Oct. 1.
- The reinstated policies remove geographic limits, expand originating sites to include the home, broaden eligible practitioners, reimburse federally qualified health centers and rural health centers, and allow audio‑only visits.
- CMS’ Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver was reauthorized through Jan. 30, allowing approved hospitals to continue providing inpatient‑level care in patients’ homes.
- Researchers at Brown University reported telehealth’s share of visits fell 24% for fee‑for‑service Medicare and 13% for Medicare Advantage in early October, with declines near 40% or more in several states.
- Advocacy groups including the American Telemedicine Association and the Alliance for Connected Care are pushing for a permanent or multi‑year solution as the new expiration date approaches.