Telehealth is an essential resource for elder Medicare patients due to federal regulators granting continued flexibility through 2026. Telehealth has grown exponentially during the pandemic among the elderly and disabled by allowing them to get therapy and psychiatrist services despite being unable to visit a clinic in person.Patients were concerned that when all the COVID emergency regulations ended, their telehealth service options would no longer be available.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) officially finalized a ruling in December 2025 which aligned delivering telehealth mental health services from federally qualified community health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics with delivering these same services from non-FQHCs prior to 2026. In other words, patients can continue to be seen via telehealth until January 30, 2026 (postponed the mandate for all providers to provide an in-person visit to qualify for a telehealth visit), and that some phone (audio) visits will be allowed under certain conditions.
Patients who are depressed, anxious or grieving, and also unable to travel regularly for their health for mobility reasons or due to being a caregiver for another person/family member, find telehealth to be a lifeline rather than a luxury. For example, being able to meet with their therapist in the comfort of their home (i.e., the kitchen or bedroom) has resulted in fewer missed therapy sessions due to not having to find and arrange access to transportation, reducing stress associated with transporting themselves/others to therapy, and more privacy regarding providing their personal mental health history and information to their providers.
According to clinics that provide telehealth services, offering telehealth mental health services has enabled them both to keep staff and serve people in remote areas, where it is difficult to find mental health professionals. Additionally, advocates have expressed that the uncertainty of what may happen after January 2026 is a significant limiting factor when providers are planning their long-term funding model. They are advocating for lawmakers to establish a permanent, fully funded and reimbursed telehealth mental health service under Medicare, instead of just offering temporary solutions.
Source: Pennsylvania Association of Community Providers – Medicare Telehealth Practices Restored
Leave a Comment