Medicare telehealth for OTs, PTs, and SLPs: what CMS says today
This page is about Medicare coverage rules, not practice standards. CMS’s Telehealth FAQ, updated in October 2026, says an extended range of practitioners may bill for Medicare telehealth services through the end of 2027, and that starting January 1, 2028, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists can no longer furnish Medicare telehealth services. CMS changes the list of Medicare telehealth services each year through the physician fee schedule. What ASHA and APTA say about delivering care remotely, and about state licensure, is on the separate telepractice page.
Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.
Sources read on November 10, 2026: CMS’s Telehealth page (page last modified April 13, 2026), the CMS Telehealth FAQ it links (PDF; the link says updated 10/09/2026 and the document itself says updated 10/8/26; both dates are given as CMS shows them), and Medicare.gov’s Telehealth coverage page. This page does not list which services or codes are Medicare telehealth services and does not say whether any rule will change again.
Who may furnish Medicare telehealth services
CMS’s FAQ, question 2, asks: “Are there any restrictions on the types of practitioners who can furnish Medicare telehealth services?” Its answer says an extended range of practitioners may bill for Medicare telehealth services through the end of 2027, and then: “Starting January 1, 2028, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists can no longer furnish Medicare Telehealth services.”
On where patients can be, the FAQ’s first answer says patients can receive Medicare telehealth services anywhere in the United States and territories through the end of 2027, and that starting January 1, 2028, except for behavioral health services, patients will generally need to be in a medical facility and in a rural area. The FAQ also says hospitals may bill through the end of 2027 for outpatient therapy furnished remotely by hospital staff to patients at home, and may not starting January 1, 2028. The exact FAQ wording is in the linked PDF.
On the funding lapse in the fall of 2025, the FAQ’s question 16 asks: “What will happen to telehealth services that were provided during the government shutdown?” It answers: “CMS will continue to pay telehealth claims in the same way they had been paid before October 1, 2025.”
How CMS changes the telehealth list
CMS’s Telehealth page states: “We make any additions or deletions to the services defined as Medicare telehealth services effective on a January 1st basis.” It continues: “The annual physician fee schedule proposed rule published in the summer and the final rule (published by November 1) is used as the vehicle to make these changes.”
What Medicare.gov tells patients
Medicare.gov states: “Telehealth can provide many services that generally occur in-person, including office visits, psychotherapy, consultations, and more.” It also states: “Medicare may cover more telehealth services than those listed above. Check with your doctor or other health care provider for more information about the services you can get through telehealth.” Its short list of examples does not name OT, PT, or speech-language pathology.
Coverage rules vs practice standards
Medicare coverage decides whether Medicare pays for a telehealth service. It does not license anyone or set practice standards. State licensure, compacts, and the national organizations’ guidance on remote care are on telepractice and telehealth. Private payers and Medicaid programs have their own rules, which are not described here.
What this page does not do
It does not list covered services or codes, copy payment rates, or say what any payer other than Medicare covers. It is not legal, billing, or compliance advice. Confirm current rules with the agency that publishes them, your employer, and your state board.