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healthcare costs

Is Medicare Telehealth Coverage Ending Soon? What Changes in 2028

Medicare’s broad flexibility for telehealth from home is currently scheduled through December 31, 2027. Here’s what CMS says changes in 2028 and how to check coverage and cost.

By TheFinanceBase Team 2 min read

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No—not imminently. As of October 4, 2026, Medicare.gov says the broad flexibility allowing beneficiaries to receive covered telehealth services from anywhere in the United States, including home, runs through December 31, 2027. CMS currently schedules a narrower general location rule to begin January 1, 2028, with an exception for behavioral health services. These rules do not mean every telehealth service is covered; service, practitioner and cost requirements still apply.

What Medicare’s current deadline means

Medicare.gov states: “Through December 31, 2027, Medicare covers telehealth services that you can get from anywhere in the U.S., including your home.” This is the published end date for the broad location flexibility—not a promise that every service or appointment is covered. The date reflects the current policy statement and could change if Congress changes the law.

CMS’s 2026 Medicare Trustees Report says the telehealth flexibilities were extended “through December 31, 2027 (from January 30, 2026).” The report and Medicare.gov therefore do not support the idea that the broad home-access flexibility is ending in the near term.

What is scheduled to change on January 1, 2028

CMS’s Telehealth FAQ, updated February 26, 2026, says that beginning January 1, 2028, beneficiaries will generally need to be at a medical facility in a rural area to receive Medicare telehealth services. CMS identifies behavioral health services as an exception to that general location rule. The stated rule is scheduled policy, not a guarantee that no later legislation or guidance will alter it.

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Some practitioner eligibility is also time-limited

CMS says an extended range of practitioners may bill for Medicare telehealth through December 31, 2027. Under the currently described rule, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists can no longer furnish Medicare telehealth services beginning January 1, 2028. If one of these practitioners provides your care, ask whether the service and practitioner will remain eligible under the rules in effect when you receive it.

Which services and costs to check

Medicare Part B covers certain telehealth services, not all remote care. Medicare.gov gives examples including outpatient psychotherapy, speech therapy, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, caregiver training, cognitive assessments, and diabetes self-management training. Ask your provider whether the particular service can be furnished and billed as Medicare telehealth.

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For covered Part B services, Medicare.gov says that after you meet the Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. Your actual cost can depend on the service and your coverage arrangement. Medicare Advantage plans may offer additional telehealth benefits, and some providers who accept Original Medicare may offer additional options; benefits are not identical across plans or providers.

Questions to ask before booking

  • Is this specific service covered by Medicare as telehealth?
  • Is this practitioner eligible to furnish and bill for it under the rules that apply on the appointment date?
  • Does my Medicare Advantage plan or Original Medicare arrangement cover this provider and visit, and are there location or network conditions?
  • What will I owe, including any deductible, coinsurance or plan-specific charge?
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How to follow future changes

CMS generally updates the list of Medicare telehealth services on a calendar-year basis through the annual Physician Fee Schedule proposed- and final-rule process. That service-list process is separate from extensions of temporary flexibilities, which have also changed through legislation. For the current home-location deadline and examples of covered services, check Medicare.gov’s telehealth coverage page. For the scheduled 2028 location and practitioner rules, consult CMS’s Telehealth FAQ, updated February 26, 2026. CMS describes annual service-list changes on its Changes and Deletion of Services page.

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