Hurrying Towards September 30: ATA Acts by Submitting Perspectives on the Draft CY2026 Medicare Doctor Payment Rule
In a significant move towards expanding access, improving care, and modernizing healthcare delivery, the Telehealth Modernization Act of 2025 has been introduced. The bill, introduced by U.S. Representatives Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), aims to extend telehealth flexibilities for seniors on Medicare through fiscal year 2027.
The American Telemedicine Association's (ATA) advocacy arm, ATA Action, has expressed its support for the bill, appreciating how it addresses many of its top priorities. ATA Action believes that telehealth and virtual care have the potential to transform the healthcare delivery system, improve patient outcomes, enhance care safety, address health disparities, and reduce costs.
The Telehealth Modernization Act is a registered 501c6 entity and an affiliated trade organization of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA). ATA Action urges the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to collaborate with Congress to make permanent or extend COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities before the September 30 deadline.
In addition to this, ATA Action has submitted comments to CMS regarding the draft CY2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). The organization encourages CMS to take action on provisions in the PFS related to telehealth, digital health, and virtual foodcare. Some of these provisions include facilitating diagnostic testing by virtual care providers, finalizing proposed modifications of the Medicare Health Insurance Services List and review process, and clarifying, finalizing, and extending the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP).
Furthermore, ATA Action recommends CMS to expand the Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) codeset to all providers, expand digital mental health treatment code proposals and codes, expand coverage for digital therapeutics with new codes, and create separate coding and payment for medically tailored meals.
ATA Action has also stressed the importance for CMS to permanently allow telehealth providers to use their practice address, not their home address, on Medicare billing and enrollment forms. The organization is concerned about the potential expiration of Medicare telehealth flexibilities and the Acute Hospital Care at Home program at the end of September, which could leave millions without remote healthcare access.
A Senate companion bill is being led by U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Brian Schatz (D-HI). ATA Action strongly supports CMS's efforts to make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, where permissible under current authority. The organization also urges CMS to address several telehealth flexibilities left out of the draft rule, including waiving originating and geographic sites, audio-only coverage, expanding the Medicare telehealth list to include therapists, allowing Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to serve as distant sites, temporary waiver of telemental health in-person requirement, and continuation of the Acute Hospital Care at Home Program.
ATA Action expresses gratitude to the policy champions for their continuous efforts to ensure quality healthcare for all patients. The full text of the Telehealth Modernization Act can be read here.
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