The late-December spending bill that funds federal government programs through March 2025 includes an extension of Medicare telehealth funding.
President Joe Biden signed H.R. 10545, the American Relief Act 2025, into law on Dec. 21.
While critical home medical equipment (HME) legislation, including much-needed funding relief for HME providers, was left out of the bill, the inclusion of telehealth coverage through the first quarter of the year was lauded by the National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART) in a Jan. 3 bulletin.
From a Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) perspective, allowing physical and occupational therapists (PT/OT) to continue to consult with clients and other seating team members via telehealth is imperative for timely access to complex seating and wheeled mobility, the organization said.
“Telehealth flexibilities for PTs and OTs have been extended through March 2025,” NCART’s bulletin said. “Must-pass year-end legislation signed by the president included a key telehealth initiative that will continue to support the provision of CRT products for individuals with disabilities and complex medical needs for the first quarter of 2025, allowing telehealth services for PTs and OTs to continue being covered under Medicare as we work for a permanent solution.
“The expansion of telehealth services that included these key clinicians was initially implemented in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency, but they’ve been shown to be highly effective and beneficial beyond the pandemic in the provision of CRT.”
Telehealth flexibilities extended under the spending bill include the removal of geographic requirements and expanding originating sites for telehealth services; the expansion of practitioners, including physical and occupational therapists, eligible to furnish telehealth services; and the provision of audio-only telehealth services.
