Medicare Telehealth Waivers and Acute Hospital Care at Home program extended Through January 30, 2026; Allows Retroactive Reimbursement for These Services
WASHINGTON, DC, NOVEMBER 13, 2025 – ATA Action, the advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association, comments on the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, and restoration of Medicare telehealth coverage and the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, thanking Congress and the Trump Administration, while reinforcing the organization’s commitment to seek permanent solutions for telehealth access.
“Millions of Americans are waking up this morning greatly relieved that they can, once again, access needed healthcare services via telehealth. This sends an important message to healthcare providers and patients, that our government leaders value telehealth and are committed to maintaining access to these urgently needed programs,” said Kyle Zebley, executive director, ATA Action, and senior vice president, public policy, the ATA. “We are grateful to Congress and President Trump for swiftly passing critical legislation last night that extended the Medicare telehealth waivers and Acute Hospital at Home program through January 30, 2026, and allows retroactive payment for these services since the temporary waivers lapsed on October 1, 2025. These are provisions we have been fighting for and mark an important milestone for the entire healthcare community.”
Telehealth provisions extended through January 30, 2026, include:
- Removal of geographic/originating-site restrictions
- Expanded eligible practitioners
- Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) / Rural Health Clinic (RHC) telehealth authority
- Delay of the in-person mental health requirement
- Audio-only telehealth
- Hospice face-to-face encounters
- Extension of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program
“That said, we are doubling down on our efforts to work with Congress and the Administration to secure a permanent solution — or at minimum a years-long extension — for these telehealth waivers. We cannot continue to subject patients across the nation, in rural and urban communities, managing chronic and acute conditions, to ongoing uncertainty about their care,” Zebley said. “And with January 30 fast approaching, now just weeks away, swift action is essential. The clock is ticking, and the uncertainty created by this shutdown still looms large.
“Congress must act quickly to provide long-term clarity and stability. To that end, it is critical that the fate of these temporary telehealth waivers not be entangled in partisan funding dynamics. We must never again allow widely supported, bipartisan policies to lapse because of politics. The health and wellbeing of our nation, and the future of our healthcare system, demand it,” he added.
About ATA Action
ATA Action recognizes that telehealth and virtual care have the potential to transform the healthcare delivery system by improving patient outcomes, enhancing the safety and effectiveness of care, addressing health disparities, and reducing costs. ATA Action is a registered 501c6 entity and an affiliated trade organization of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).