Medicare now covers end-of-life planning talks—free, starting 2027
S. 2865 — Improving Access to Advance Care Planning Act · Filed by Mark Warner (D-VA) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Sep 18, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill expands Medicare coverage of advance care planning services—conversations between patients and healthcare providers about end-of-life preferences, future medical decisions, and advance directives. It makes these services free to Medicare beneficiaries (no copay or deductible starting January 1, 2027), allows them to be delivered via telehealth without geographic restrictions, and directs the Department of Health and Human Services to educate providers about the new benefit.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to add advance care planning services as a covered Medicare benefit with zero cost-sharing for beneficiaries. This is a straightforward healthcare access expansion, not a tax provision, deregulation, or narrow carve-out.
What the text implies
- Removal of cost-sharing (copay/deductible) effective January 1, 2027 may increase utilization of advance care planning conversations, potentially reducing downstream emergency interventions and hospitalizations for patients with clear end-of-life preferences.
- Telehealth expansion for advance care planning removes geographic barriers, potentially improving access in rural areas where in-person specialist availability is limited.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
healthcare providers (physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical social workers; telehealth platforms and remote care delivery services