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Permanent Medicare Telehealth Access: Removing Geographic and Location Barriers.

This Act permanently expands access to telehealth services under Medicare by eliminating geographic restrictions and allowing patients to receive remote consultations from their homes. These changes aim to improve healthcare access, particularly for rural residents or those with mobility issues, while simultaneously strengthening oversight of billing practices. The requirement for an in-person visit before receiving telemental health services is also repealed.
Key points
Geographic Barriers Removed: Starting in 2025, Medicare patients can use telehealth regardless of where they live.
Home as Originating Site: Patients can permanently receive telehealth visits from their own home (or any other clinically appropriate location).
Easier Mental Health Access: The requirement for an in-person visit before receiving telemental health services is repealed.
Increased Fraud Oversight: New mechanisms are introduced to identify and notify providers with significant outlier billing patterns for telehealth services.
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_S_2016
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Process start date: 2023-06-15
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Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-09-2025
Source data: api.congress.gov
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OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

CONNECT for Health Act of 2023

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_S_2016.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2023-06-15.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Geographic Barriers Removed: Starting in 2025, Medicare patients can use telehealth regardless of where they live.
  • Home as Originating Site: Patients can permanently receive telehealth visits from their own home (or any other clinically appropriate location).
  • Easier Mental Health Access: The requirement for an in-person visit before receiving telemental health services is repealed.
  • Increased Fraud Oversight: New mechanisms are introduced to identify and notify providers with significant outlier billing patterns for telehealth services.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-26.

CATEGORIES

Health