Shawn Watzlawick, Medicare Insurance Broker

Does Medicare pay for telehealth visits with specialists, or is it limited to primary care?

Answer: Medicare covers certain telehealth services you get from a doctor or other health care provider who’s located elsewhere using technology to communicate with you in real time. Telehealth can provide many services that generally occur in-person, including office visits, psychotherapy, consultations, and certain other medical or health services.

Through December 31, 2024, you can get telehealth services at any location in the U.S., including your home. After this period, you must be in an office or medical facility located in a rural area to get most telehealth services. However, you’ll still be able to get certain telehealth services without being in a rural area.

They include:

• Monthly End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) visits for home dialysis

• Services for diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of symptoms of an acute stroke wherever you are, including in a mobile stroke unit

• Services to treat a substance use disorder or a co-occurring mental health disorder or for the diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of a mental health disorder, including in your home

• Behavioral health services (also called mental health services), including in your home

• Diabetes self-management training

• Medical nutrition therapy

You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for your doctor or other health care provider or practitioner’s services. The Part B deductible applies. For most of these services, you’ll pay the same amount you would if you got the services in person.