HEALTH Act of 2025

The HEALTH Act of 2025 seeks to make permanent the Medicare telehealth payment framework for care delivered by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). It expands the definition of telehealth to include audio-only visits, shifts permanent payments so telehealth furnished by FQHCs/RHCs is treated as regular outpatient services (or PPS-based payments) rather than being tied to emergency authority, and eliminates the originating-site requirements for telehealth when the distant site is an FQHC or RHC. The bill also requires agency rulemaking within 60 days to reflect these changes, including updating regulatory definitions to cover two-way, real-time interactive communication that includes audio-only options. In short, the bill aims to ensure ongoing Medicare coverage and payment for telehealth provided through FQHCs and RHCs, broaden how telehealth is delivered (including audio-only), and remove barriers related to where patients are located or where the service originates, with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implementing the necessary regulatory changes.