Medicare now covers phone-call doctor visits for seniors
H.R. 1899 — Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act of 2025 · Filed by Randy Feenstra (R-IA) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Mar 6, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends Medicare law to allow Medicare to pay for telehealth services delivered by audio-only (phone calls), not just video. Currently, Medicare covers telehealth only when delivered via video or in-person; this bill extends coverage to audio-only consultations, effective from the start of a declared emergency period.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative function is to expand the modalities through which Medicare reimburses telehealth services—specifically adding audio-only delivery to the existing covered set. This is a straightforward coverage rule change.
What the text implies
- The bill ties audio-only coverage to an 'emergency period' (section 1135(g)(1)(B)), meaning coverage may be temporary or contingent on a declared emergency—the permanence of this benefit is unclear from the bill text alone.
- Audio-only telehealth may increase utilization of lower-cost services, potentially reducing in-person visit volume and associated travel burden for elderly/disabled beneficiaries, but may also shift some care to phone-based triage that could miss visual diagnostic cues.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Medicare beneficiaries (seniors and disabled persons); Telehealth service providers offering audio-only consultations