Telehealth Updates – April 2025 Extension Through September 30, 2025

Telehealth Extended to September 30th, 2025

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has received numerous inquiries regarding the status of Medicare telehealth waivers.

Initially set to expire on December 31, 2024, these flexibilities were extended by Congress in January 2025, pushing the deadline to March 31, 2025.

On March 14, 2025, Congress passed a six-month continuing resolution to sustain government funding and further extend Medicare telehealth waivers through September 30, 2025

Essential Changes and Further Extensions

The Notable Amendments and Supplementary Details are provided below for the reference,

The Medicare beneficiaries will maintain access to telehealth services in their home without restrictions based on geographic location.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) can continue to provide telehealth services.

Audio-Only Telehealth

Audio-only telehealth services are also extended, allowing providers to offer care for those without internet or video capability.

Mental Health Visit Requirement Postponed

A Medicare’s in-person visit requirement for mental health services delivered through telehealth has been delayed until October 1, 2025.

Non-Behavioral Health Telehealth

The Medicare patients can receive telehealth services for non-behavioral/mental health care in their home through September 30, 2025.

No Geographic Limits for Non-Behavioral Telehealth

There are no geographic restrictions for originating site for Medicare non-behavioral/mental telehealth services through September 30, 2025.

Telehealth Extension Details

Telehealth services can be provided by all eligible Medicare providers through September 30, 2025.

Source

• Telehealth Policy Updates
• Congress News
• NASW
  

 

Telephone & Telehealth CPT Code Changes’2025

Evaluation & Management (E&M) Changes

• One major update is the addition of 17 new telemedicine codes, categorized for real-time audio-video and audio-only encounters.
• These services must be provided by a physician or qualified healthcare professional (QHP).
• The CPT Code selection depends on whether the patient is new or established and whether the level of service is determined by medical decision-making (MDM) or time

 Deleted Telephone CPT Code Updates

• With the introduction of new telemedicine codes, some existing codes have been deleted
• CPT – 99441, 9942 & 99443 Formerly used for telephone E/M services and G2012 Formerly used for virtual visit, these codes have been deleted to simplify telemedicine coding.
• CPT 2025 will also include new codes for audio-only telemedicine visits for new patients (98008-98011) and established patients (98012-98015)

Telephone Encounters CPT Codes

• The CPT 98016 can be billed for both Medicare & Commercial instead of CPT 99441 and or G2012 and the time must be documented minimum of 5 minutes to 10 minutes.
• If the provider spends more than 10 minutes’ appropriate codes can be used
• New patients (98008-98011)
• Established patients (98012-98015) 

Telephone/Virtual Encounters CPT Codes

98016 - Brief communication technology-based service (eg, virtual check-in) by a physician or other qualified health care professional who can report evaluation and management services, provided to an established patient, not originating from a related evaluation and management service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an evaluation and management service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment, 5-10 minutes of medical discussion

Telemedicine Services CPT Codes

• Regular E&M outpatient CPT 99202 to 99215 can be used for Medicare & Medicare HMO’s Patients, either based MDM or total time spends with the patients.
• New patients (98000-98003)
• Established patients (98004-98007) 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE

• As per the CMS guidelines, the CPT 98008 to 98015 is not been covered by Medicare until March 31st both Telephone & Telemedicine Services.
• Modifier 93, 95 and or GT is not required for new CPT codes. 

Place of Services (POS)

• POS 02 - Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home
• POS 10 - Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home