Medicare 2026

Medicare Telehealth Is Extended Through 2027: What Changes in 2028

Telehealth has become a routine part of how many people with Medicare see their doctors, therapists, and specialists. A new law has kept that door open for a while longer — but it also puts a firm date on when some of the broadest telehealth rules are set to narrow. Here is a plain-English look at what is in place through 2027, what is scheduled to change on January 1, 2028, and what it means as you plan for appointments.

What the new law did

Section 6209 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-75, signed February 3, 2026) extended Medicare's pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities. The previous end date was January 30, 2026; the new end date is December 31, 2027. In practical terms, that gives nearly two more years of the broader telehealth rules most people have gotten used to.

What stays in place through December 31, 2027

Telehealth from home, anywhere in the country. You can receive Medicare telehealth services from your home or wherever you are in the United States. You are not restricted to a medical facility, and you do not have to live in a rural area to use it.

A wider list of practitioners. During this window, an expanded range of providers can bill Medicare for telehealth, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists.

Audio-only visits. If you cannot or do not want to use video, Medicare allows audio-only telehealth in the home for a broad set of services through the end of 2027.

Mental health telehealth without a prior in-person visit. The requirement to have an in-person visit before starting mental health telehealth is delayed until January 1, 2028. CMS has said that if you begin mental health telehealth on or before December 31, 2027, you will not need an in-person visit within the six months beforehand — but you will need at least one in-person visit every 12 months after December 31, 2027, to keep that care going.

Hospice recertification by telehealth. The law also extended, through December 31, 2027, the ability to use telehealth for the face-to-face encounter required before recertifying a patient for hospice care, with some exceptions.

What you pay. For most telehealth services, your cost is the same as it would be in person: after the Part B deductible, you generally pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount.

What is scheduled to change on January 1, 2028

Unless Congress acts again, several of these flexibilities will narrow:

• Location rules return for most services. Except for behavioral health, you will generally need to be in a medical facility located in a rural area to receive Medicare telehealth.
• A smaller list of providers. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists will no longer be able to furnish Medicare telehealth services.
• Audio-only narrows. Audio-only telehealth at home will be limited to behavioral health services, and only when you are not capable of using video or do not consent to it.
• In-person visits return for mental health telehealth. The in-person visit requirement for mental health telehealth begins. People who started care on or before December 31, 2027, will need an in-person visit at least every 12 months afterward to continue.

If telehealth is important to how you receive care, it is worth asking your providers now how they plan to handle visits after 2027.

A few other 2027 facts worth knowing

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026). Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches the cap, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible ceiling: No Part D plan may charge a deductible higher than $700 in 2027.
• Part D base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027. This is a national figure used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty; actual plan premiums are set plan by plan.
• Social Security COLA: The Social Security Administration announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for benefits payable beginning January 2027.
• Not yet announced: The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been released. CMS typically announces them in the fall. Watch Medicare.gov for the official figures.

Enrollment windows to keep in mind

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. This is when most people can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D plan.
• If you have Medicaid or Extra Help: Since 2025, you have a monthly Special Enrollment Period to move to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan, or to switch stand-alone Part D plans. If you are a full-benefit dual-eligible, you can join an integrated D-SNP in any month.

Choosing how you get your Medicare

People often weigh Original Medicare (usually paired with a stand-alone Part D plan, and sometimes a Medigap policy) against Medicare Advantage. Neither is "best" for everyone. Original Medicare offers broad provider access nationwide and predictable federal rules; Medigap can help cover cost-sharing but has its own premiums and enrollment protections. Medicare Advantage plans often bundle drug coverage and may include extra benefits, but typically use provider networks and plan-specific rules. The right fit depends on your health, your providers, your budget, and your preferences.

Where to go next

For official rules, plan comparisons in your area, and the 2027 Part B figures when they are released, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048.

This article is for general educational purposes only. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.