Telehealth and Medicare: What Is Covered

Winifred Quinn, AARP Public Policy Institute

Published August 27, 2019

This fact sheet provides information on the telehealth services that Medicare is covering. The paper includes traditional Medicare, in Medicare private health plans serving beneficiaries (Medicare Advantage), and its value-based models, such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). ACOs are health care organizations that are held responsible by insurers (private or public) to improve health outcomes and reduce or contain costs.

Medicare has incrementally increased its reimbursement of telehealth over the past twenty years. There have been recent changes as far as its reimbursement for chronic care provided by telehealth.

AARP recognizes that telehealth-delivered care promises to help older adults obtain care at home and in the community, with the understanding that it’s not a substitute for in-person appointments and that the care is high quality.

Suggested Citation:

Quinn, Winifred. Telehealth and Medicare: What Is Covered. Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute, August 27, 2018. https://doi.org/10.26419/ppi.00080.001

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Telehealth and Medicare: What Is Covered

FULL REPORT