Senate Bill Would Add Therapists, Audiologists to Medicare Telehealth Coverage
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This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
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This bill would permanently expand the types of healthcare providers who can bill Medicare for telehealth visits. It adds physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and their assistants to the approved list. This means Medicare beneficiaries — especially seniors and people with disabilities — could receive therapy and audiology services from home via video or phone instead of traveling to a clinic. It also gives the HHS Secretary authority to add more provider types in the future without new legislation.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
A coalition of healthcare providers and tech giants is pushing Congress to make pandemic-era Medicare telehealth waivers permanent. The effort highlights the Expanded Telehealth Access Act, which seeks to ensure therapists and audiologists remain eligible for reimbursement beyond temporary extensions.
Lawmakers reintroduced the Expanded Telehealth Access Act to permanently allow Medicare to reimburse physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists. The bill aims to prevent a 'telehealth cliff' for seniors who rely on virtual rehabilitative care.
Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Diana Harshbarger are leading a bipartisan push to expand the types of providers Medicare pays for telehealth. The Expanded Telehealth Access Act specifically targets physical and occupational therapists, whose ability to bill for remote care is currently tied to waivers.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Expanded Telehealth Access Act
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