CMS extends COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities for outpatient therapies

Hospitals may keep billing through Dec. 31 for some Medicare patient therapies provided in the home, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Services include outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology services, diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition therapy. The American Hospital Association has advocated for continuing these flexibilities to support access to services for geographically dispersed patients and those with mobility or transportation challenges. Telehealth Access for America, an AHA-supported campaign to protect patient access to critical telehealth services, recently urged Congress to make permanent certain Medicare telehealth flexibilities granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency and extended through 2024 by the Consolidated Appropriations Act. (AHA News article, 5/16/23)