Telehealth Update for Medicare Jurisdiction JH and JL
December 03, 2025
Telehealth services are defined as services a physician or practitioner provides via two-way, interactive technology (or telehealth). Telehealth substitutes for an in-person visit and generally involves two-way, interactive technology permitting communication between the practitioner and patient.
The CMS Telehealth & Remote Patient Monitoring MLN Booklet was recently updated to incorporate the most current Medicare requirements. Below is a summary of key points of telehealth services.
Interactive telecommunications system means multimedia communications equipment including, at a minimum, audio and video equipment permitting two-way, real-time interactive communication between the patient and distant site physician or practitioner.
Under current law, beneficiaries may continue to receive audio-only telehealth services in their homes through January 30, 2026. Starting January 31, 2026, physicians and practitioners may use two-way, real-time audio-only communication technology for behavioral health services furnished to a patient in their home, provided that the furnishing physician or practitioner is technically capable of using audio-video communication technology and that the beneficiary is not capable of or does not consent to using audio-video communication technology. Audio-only can be used for both new and established patients. Beneficiaries who are receiving remote mental health services, as defined in the CY 2023 and 2024 OPPS Final Rules, furnished by hospital employed staff in their homes may also receive these services via audio-only communication technology.
A distant site is the location from where a physician or practitioner provides telehealth. Through January 30, 2026, all providers who are eligible to bill Medicare for professional services can provide distant site telehealth.
Distant site practitioners can provide telehealth services from their home and in many cases do not need to report their home address. Practitioners who furnish telehealth services from their homes but have a physical practice location are not required to report their home address on their Medicare enrollment application.
The following distant site professionals eligible to bill for telehealth services include:
The following distant site health care professionals eligible to bill telehealth services through January 30, 2026:
Note: Distant site professionals may be limited by state scope of practice.
An originating site is the location where a patient is located while receiving physician or practitioner medical services through telehealth.
Through January 30, 2026, all patients can receive telehealth wherever they are located. They do not need to be at a designated originating site and there are no geographic restrictions.
As of January 31, 2026:
For non-behavioral or non-mental telehealth, there are originating site requirements and geographic location restrictions.
For behavioral or mental services, all patients can continue to receive treatment via telehealth wherever they are located, with no originating site requirements or geographic location restrictions. The patient’s home is a permissible originating site for services provided for diagnosing, evaluating, or treating:
HCPCS Code Q3014 describes the Medicare telehealth originating site facility fee. The Medicare originating site facility fee amount for CY 2025 is $31.01 and for CY 2026 is $31.85.
An originating site facility fee is billed when the patient is in a healthcare facility receiving telehealth. Medicare makes payment to the distant site practitioner for the professional services.
Note: If the patient is within a hospital and receives a hospital outpatient clinic visit (including a mental or behavioral health visit) from a practitioner located in the same physical location, the hospital would bill for the clinic visit (HCPCS code G0463).
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