CMS has revised guidance on telehealth, remote monitoring, and Medicare preventive services for 2026. Key updates include:
Telehealth & Remote Monitoring
- CMS added a resource link for the latest telehealth info and guidance on suppressing practitioners’ home addresses in PECOS.
- Frequency limits were removed for subsequent inpatient, nursing facility, and critical care consultations.
- Teaching and supervising physicians may now supervise virtually on a permanent basis.
- Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers will continue to receive payment for medical telehealth services through December 31, 2026.
- Starting CY 2026, new telehealth services will be added only on a permanent basis; five new CPT/HCPCS codes were added.
- Updates were made to the Medicare Economic Index and the originating site fee for 2026.
- CMS moved Medicare Wellness Visit content to a dedicated webpage for easier access.
- Initial Preventive Physical Exam (IPPE): Covered for new Medicare patients within 12 months of Part B enrollment; includes health history and preventive service education.
- Annual Wellness Visit (AWV): Covered once every 12 months; includes personalized prevention plan and health risk assessment.
- Routine Physical Exams: Not covered; patients pay out of pocket.
Providers can review the full CMS updates and linked resources to ensure compliance and optimize telehealth and preventive service delivery.