Will Medicare Cover Telehealth in 2025?
Key Takeaways
- Starting in 2025, people on Original Medicare no longer have expanded coverage for telehealth services.
- Medicare Part B still covers telehealth appointments for mental health, for patients at rural health clinics, and in certain other situations.
- Medicare Advantage plans may provide broader access to telehealth and other helpful benefits.
In telehealth, healthcare providers use technology to connect with patients at another location. This service can be especially valuable to help people who have disabilities, lack transportation, or live far from medical facilities.
If you’re on Medicare and rely on telehealth to see your doctors, you may experience some changes in 2025.
Original Medicare, the public health insurance program for U.S. adults who are 65 and older or have eligible disabilities, will continue to cover telehealth in some situations. For example, Medicare will cover telehealth for mental health care and those at rural health clinics. However, you may lose coverage for other services available through real-time video or audio since early in the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Let’s examine what telehealth is still covered by Original Medicare and the other options you may have to access care.
Does Medicare Pay for Telehealth in 2025?
In March 2020, the U.S. federal government temporarily expanded Medicare coverage for telehealth as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the revised rules, patients could connect with a doctor or other healthcare providers like physical therapists from any location. That year, more than 52 million telehealth visits were covered by Medicare Part B, the part of Original Medicare that provides medical insurance.
The U.S. Congress extended this flexibility through the end of 2024 and made coverage for some services permanent. Although the use of telehealth went down as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, nearly a quarter of people on Original Medicare still received at least one covered service remotely in 2023.
As of the beginning of 2025, Medicare Part B no longer covers many of these telehealth services.
Original Medicare Telehealth 2025
Original Medicare now covers telehealth only under specific conditions. For example, if you live in a rural area of the U.S., you can still schedule an appointment via real-time video or audio. However, this coverage requires you to attend the appointment from a local doctor’s office or an approved medical facility, not at home.
There are still situations where Medicare Part B covers telehealth in your home or other locations. The available services include:
- Behavioral health (also called mental health), such as appointments with a therapist
- Home dialysis to treat end-stage renal disease (ESRD)
- Diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of symptoms from an acute stroke
- Training to self-manage diabetes
- Nutrition therapy for people who have diabetes or kidney disease
- Treatment for substance use disorder
Ready for a new Medicare Advantage plan?
Accessing Care in 2025 and Beyond
In a 2019 survey, more than 17% of people on Medicare (not counting residents in long-term care facilities) reported having trouble getting to places like a doctor’s office or grocery store. The loss of expanded telehealth coverage through Original Medicare could severely impact those who live with mobility and transportation challenges.
There are coverage and care options that could help.
Accountable Care Organizations
An Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is a group of healthcare providers and hospitals cooperating to provide coordinated services for people on Medicare. ACOs aim to deliver high-quality care while increasing providers’ efficiency and cutting Medicare expenses. Several types of ACOs may be available based on where you live, such as a Medicare Shared Savings Program.
If you see healthcare providers participating in an ACO, Original Medicare may cover your telehealth appointments with them. Ask your provider for more information.
Medicare Advantage Plans With Additional Benefits
Medicare Advantage plans from private insurance carriers substitute for your Original Medicare coverage. By law, the plans must at least match the coverage you would get from Medicare Parts A and B. Most include Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, and they may offer various additional benefits, including expanded coverage for telehealth.
Every Medicare Advantage plan is different, and plan availability depends on your ZIP code. Some of the telehealth services available may include routine check-ins with your healthcare provider and medical visits to manage an illness or have a prescription refilled.
Some Medicare Advantage plans also cover rides to doctor’s appointments. Plans may offer other services that benefit people with mobility challenges, like companion care, which is a helper who visits your home to assist with light chores and errands.
If you have a chronic condition such as kidney disease or a heart problem, you may be eligible for a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (C-SNP). These Medicare Advantage plans are designed specifically for people with certain conditions and offer a variety of benefits that make it easier to get the care, services, and prescriptions you need.
To get the fullest coverage from a Medicare Advantage plan, you generally have to visit doctors and pharmacies that are in your provider network. Make sure that any healthcare providers you want to see either in person or via telehealth accept your plan.
If telehealth has become an important part of your healthcare, you should understand the changes to your coverage. To find expanded telehealth benefits, consider talking to a licensed insurance agent to learn about the Medicare Advantage plan options that are available in your area. When making choices about your insurance, prioritize the plan features that would most help you get the care and services you need, whether at the doctor’s office or from home.
Sources
Telehealth. Medicare.gov
Medicare Beneficiaries’ Use of Telehealth in 2020. Department of Health and Human Services.
Which Medicare Beneficiaries Have Trouble Getting Places Like the Doctor’s Office, and How Do They Do It? Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs): General Information. CMS.gov.