Does Medicare Cover Telehealth in 2026?

Full answer: Yes. Medicare Part B covers most telehealth visits in 2026, including office visits, mental health appointments, chronic care management, and many specialist consultations. Congress extended COVID-era telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027, via the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 (P.L. 119-75, signed February 3, 2026), waiving the rural originating-site requirement and allowing care from any patient location including the home. Cost-sharing matches in-person care: 20% coinsurance after the 2026 Part B deductible of $283. Medicare Advantage plans may offer additional telehealth benefits beyond Original Medicare.

Medicare telehealth coverage expanded dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, and much of that expanded access remains in place for 2026. Congress extended the core flexibilities through December 31, 2027 (Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, P.L. 119-75), meaning Original Medicare beneficiaries can access telehealth from their homes, in urban areas, and without the pre-pandemic restrictions that limited virtual visits to rural sites only. More than 50 million Medicare beneficiaries can now use telehealth for primary care, mental health, and specialist visits at the same cost-share as an in-office appointment.

This guide covers exactly which services Medicare covers via telehealth in 2026, what the visit costs you out of pocket, what platform rules apply, what Medicare Advantage adds, and what happens after December 31, 2027, when the current extensions are scheduled to expire.

Coverage Breakdown

Coverage by type
Plan Type	Telehealth Coverage	Services Included	What You Pay (2026)
Original Medicare (Part B)	Yes	Office visits, mental health, chronic care management, specialist consults, audio-only mental health	20% coinsurance after $283 Part B deductible (2026)
Medicare Advantage (Part C)	Yes, often more	All Original Medicare telehealth services, plus plan-specific extras (fitness check-ins, urgent care telehealth, remote monitoring)	Varies by plan; many MA plans offer $0 copay telehealth visits (2026 plan benefits)
Medigap (Medicare Supplement)	Partial	Covers Medicare-approved telehealth cost-sharing (coinsurance and deductible portions); does not add new telehealth services	Medigap Plan G covers the Part B coinsurance (20%) after Part B deductible; Plan F covers both deductible and coinsurance
Services NOT covered via telehealth	No	Purely cosmetic consultations, services not covered in-person under Medicare, physical therapy with hands-on components (covered in-person only)	Not applicable; service not covered

Original Medicare telehealth flexibilities are authorized through December 31, 2027, under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 (P.L. 119-75). Congress must act before that date to extend or make permanent. Audio-only visits are currently allowed for mental health services with certain restrictions. HIPAA-compliant platforms are required.

Source: CMS.gov Medicare Telehealth Services 2026, Medicare.gov, Consolidated Appropriations Act 2026 (P.L. 119-75)

Direct Answer: Does Medicare Cover Telehealth in 2026?

Yes. Medicare Part B covers most telehealth visits in 2026. For mental health telehealth specifically, see Medicare mental health coverage. Congress extended the COVID-era flexibilities through December 31, 2027, so patients can connect with their doctor by video from home, in urban areas, without needing to travel to a rural clinic first. Cost-sharing is identical to in-person: 20% coinsurance after the 2026 Part B deductible of $283.

What Original Medicare Covers via Telehealth (2026)

Original Medicare Part B covers telehealth under the same medical necessity rules that apply in person. The service must be on the CMS-approved list of telehealth-eligible services, which CMS updates annually and publishes on its website at cms.gov. For 2026, the covered categories include:

Office evaluation and management visits (the standard doctor appointment, levels 1 through 5) are fully covered by telehealth in 2026. Mental health visits, including psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management, are covered with an audio-only option retained for mental health specifically. Chronic care management for patients with two or more chronic conditions is covered. Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics can deliver all mental health telehealth services through 2026 under the extended rules. Emergency department visits at a lower acuity level (level 1 and 2 ED visits) are covered via telehealth. Diabetes self-management training, medical nutrition therapy, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services all qualify.

Office visits (evaluation and management, all levels)
Mental health: psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation, medication management
Chronic care management for 2 or more chronic conditions
Annual wellness visit and preventive care screenings
Cardiology, neurology, and other specialist consults
Diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition therapy
Substance use disorder treatment visits
Federally Qualified Health Center and Rural Health Clinic mental health visits

What Medicare Advantage May Add in 2026

Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans must cover at least what Original Medicare covers for telehealth, and most go further. CMS allows Medicare Advantage plans to offer supplemental telehealth benefits as part of their optional enhanced benefits package. In 2026, many Medicare Advantage plans include features Original Medicare does not provide:

Medicare Advantage plan telehealth extras often include $0 copay for primary care telehealth visits (compared to the 20% coinsurance under Original Medicare after the $283 2026 Part B deductible), 24/7 on-demand virtual urgent care, remote patient monitoring for conditions like diabetes and heart failure, and telehealth access to dentists, eye doctors, and hearing providers in some plans. The specific benefits vary by plan and service area. Always review the plan's Evidence of Coverage (EOC) document to confirm which telehealth services carry a $0 copay versus standard cost-sharing in 2026.

What Medicare Telehealth Costs You in 2026

Under Original Medicare, telehealth visits carry the same cost-sharing as equivalent in-person visits. Medicare pays 80% of the approved amount after you meet the 2026 Part B annual deductible of $283. You pay the remaining 20% coinsurance. There is no separate telehealth fee or surcharge. If you have a Medigap supplement policy (Plan G, Plan N, or similar), it covers the 20% coinsurance portion, which means your out-of-pocket for telehealth is the same as for any other Part B service under your supplement.

For a typical primary care telehealth visit, Medicare's approved amount in 2026 runs approximately $100 to $200 depending on the visit level (codes 99213 to 99215). After the $283 deductible, your 20% coinsurance per visit is roughly $20 to $40. Specialist telehealth visits at higher complexity codes can run $200 to $350 approved, meaning your share is $40 to $70 per visit. Without any Medicare coverage (if you see a non-participating provider or an out-of-network provider in Medicare Advantage), the self-pay rate for a video visit averages $75 to $150 per session according to FAIR Health data.

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Platform Requirements and Audio-Only Rules

Medicare requires telehealth to use a HIPAA-compliant real-time interactive audio-visual communication system. This means providers cannot use consumer apps like FaceTime, standard Zoom, or Facebook Messenger unless the app meets HIPAA security standards with a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). Major telehealth platforms that are HIPAA-compliant include Teladoc, MDLive, Amwell, Doxy.me, and many electronic health record (EHR)-embedded video systems used by hospitals and large practices.

Audio-only visits (telephone without video) are allowed for mental health services through 2026 under the extended flexibilities. CMS retained audio-only for mental health specifically because research showed video access barriers disproportionately affect elderly and low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Audio-only mental health visits must use a telephone that allows two-way real-time communication. Audio-only is NOT allowed for most other Medicare telehealth services, which require video. Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics may deliver mental health telehealth services including audio-only through 2026.

The 2027 Expiration: What Happens After December 31, 2027?

The expanded telehealth flexibilities Medicare beneficiaries use in 2026 are not permanent law. They were authorized through December 31, 2027, under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 (Public Law 119-75, signed February 3, 2026). If Congress does not act before that date, several restrictions return on January 1, 2028:

Without a further extension, the originating site requirement returns. Before the pandemic, Medicare only covered telehealth if the patient was in a designated rural health professional shortage area AND at a specific originating site (a medical facility, not the patient's home). Urban patients and patients connecting from home would lose telehealth access under the pre-pandemic rules. Audio-only mental health would end. The expanded list of covered telehealth services would revert to the narrower pre-pandemic list. CoveredUSA will update this page if Congress acts. Check cms.gov for the most current telehealth policy status.

How to Find a Medicare Telehealth Provider in 2026

Finding a Medicare-accepting telehealth provider starts at medicare.gov. The Medicare Care Compare tool at medicare.gov/care-compare lets you search for physicians, group practices, and other providers by specialty and location. Filter by providers who offer telehealth. For mental health specifically, the SAMHSA behavioral health treatment locator at findtreatment.gov lists providers accepting Medicare. Many large health systems (Kaiser, Cleveland Clinic, UCSF, and regional hospital networks) offer Medicare telehealth through their patient portals.

For Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, the plan's app or member portal is the fastest path. Most major MA plans (UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna) include a telehealth tab in their mobile app that connects to an on-demand provider within minutes. These plan-sponsored virtual visits often carry a $0 copay for primary care in 2026, lower than what you would pay for the same visit under Original Medicare. Check your 2026 Summary of Benefits or call the member services number on your card to confirm telehealth copay amounts.

Alternatives When Medicare Does Not Cover a Telehealth Service

Medicare does not cover all services via telehealth. Purely cosmetic consultations, services not covered in person by Medicare, and some physical therapy modalities requiring hands-on assessment are excluded. If Medicare will not cover a specific telehealth service you need, four practical alternatives exist:

Switch to Medicare Advantage: MA plans can cover supplemental telehealth services Original Medicare cannot, including vision and dental telehealth. Compare plans at medicare.gov during the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7, 2026).
Federally Qualified Health Centers: FQHCs provide sliding-scale telehealth services regardless of Medicare coverage gaps. Find one at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
State SHIP counselors: State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) offer free Medicare counseling to help you find a plan with the telehealth coverage you need. Find your SHIP at shiphelp.org.
Direct-pay telehealth: Platforms like GoodRx Care, Teladoc, and Amazon Clinic offer direct-pay virtual visits outside Medicare. Costs run $40 to $100 for a primary care visit without any insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Original Medicare cover telehealth visits in 2026?

Yes. Original Medicare Part B covers telehealth visits in 2026 for office visits, mental health appointments, chronic care management, and specialist consultations. Cost-sharing is the same as in-person: 20% coinsurance after the 2026 Part B annual deductible of $283. The COVID-era flexibilities (home-based care, urban coverage, audio-only mental health) are extended through December 31, 2027.

Does Medicare Advantage cover telehealth in 2026?

Yes, and usually more than Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans must cover all Medicare-approved telehealth services, and many add $0 copay primary care telehealth, 24/7 on-demand urgent care, and remote patient monitoring. Check your 2026 plan's Summary of Benefits or call member services to confirm your specific telehealth copays.

What does a Medicare telehealth visit cost in 2026?

Under Original Medicare, you pay 20% coinsurance after the $283 Part B deductible (2026). For a typical primary care visit billed at $100 to $200, your out-of-pocket is roughly $20 to $40. If you have a Medigap plan (Plan G or similar), it covers that 20%, bringing your cost to $0. Medicare Advantage plans often offer $0 copay telehealth for primary care.

Can I do a Medicare telehealth visit from home in 2026?

Yes. The home-as-originating-site rule is extended through December 31, 2027. Before the pandemic, Medicare required patients to be in a designated rural health shortage area and at a medical facility. The extension waives both requirements, so you can connect from home anywhere in the country.

Does Medicare cover audio-only (phone-only) telehealth?

Only for mental health services. CMS retained audio-only specifically for mental health visits through 2026 because video access barriers disproportionately affect elderly beneficiaries. For all other Medicare telehealth services, two-way audio and video are required on a HIPAA-compliant platform.

What happens to Medicare telehealth after December 31, 2027?

The extended flexibilities expire December 31, 2027, unless Congress acts. If no extension passes, the pre-pandemic rules return in 2028: telehealth limited to rural shortage areas, patients must be at a medical facility (not home), and the service list narrows. Check cms.gov for updates as the deadline approaches.

Does Medicare cover telehealth for mental health in 2026?

Yes. Medicare Part B covers mental health telehealth including psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. Audio-only telephone visits are allowed for mental health specifically through 2026. Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics can provide mental health telehealth, expanding access for low-income beneficiaries.

Can I see a specialist via telehealth under Medicare?

Yes, for most specialties. Cardiology, neurology, endocrinology, psychiatry, and many other specialties can conduct evaluations via telehealth under Medicare in 2026. The specialist must accept Medicare assignment and use a HIPAA-compliant platform. Hands-on physical examinations and procedures still require in-person visits.