When will telehealth waivers expire?

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Some states are already making changes to Telehealth coverage. See the new announcement for the State of Florida.

The Administration is taking aggressive actions and exercising regulatory flexibilities to help healthcare providers contain the spread of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). CMS is empowered to take proactive steps through 1135 waivers as well as, where applicable, authority granted under section 1812(f) of the Social Security Act (the Act) and rapidly expand the Administration’s aggressive efforts against COVID-19. As a result, the following blanket waivers are in effect, with a retroactive effective date of March 1, 2020 through the end of the emergency declaration.

From CMS - EXPANSION OF TELEHEALTH WITH 1135 WAIVER: Under this new waiver, Medicare can pay for office, hospital, and other visits furnished via telehealth across the country and including in patient’s places of residence starting March 6, 2020.  A range of providers, such as...

Continue reading on CMS

In March of 2020, a long list of waivers were put into effect to help providers contain the spread of COVID-19. These waivers have been in effect since then with 90-day extensions granted now multiple times to cover the time we are still dealing with the effects of the virus. The next one is set to expire on July 19th. Several of these waivers made the way to have Telehealth be a viable option to provide treatment to patients remotely. Some agencies have advocated for a permanent expansion of Telehealth access after COVID-19 and will the individual insurances follow suit?
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I have been asked a lot lately if the extensions will expire this next expiration date. That is hard to predict and we can only stay tuned and watch for announcement are made. 

Remember, each insurance has their own interpretation and guidelines that they are following and we will have to see what they do. Below are some of the most common payers and their links to the COVID-19 guidelines.

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