With the passage of H.R. 5371, the government shutdown has officially ended—and key Medicare telehealth flexibilities have been restored and extended through January 30, 2026. This extension closes the legal gap created during the 42-day lapse and brings welcomed stability to providers, compliance teams, and patients relying on telehealth services.
What’s Extended Through January 2026
The Continuing Resolution maintains several critical telehealth authorities, including:
✔ Home as the originating site – no geographic limits for non-behavioral telehealth
✔ FQHCs and RHCs continuing as distant-site providers
✔ Audio-only Medicare telehealth for non-behavioral care
✔ Telehealth for hospice recertification face-to-face requirements
✔ Continued eligibility for OTs, PTs, SLPs, and audiologists
✔ The Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative
✔ Delay of the in-person requirement for behavioral health through January 30, 2026
Claims Impact: Retroactive Payments Expected
CMS is expected to direct Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to reprocess and pay telehealth claims retroactive to October 1, 2025. Practices should monitor MLN Connects closely for code-level instructions or batch-processing guidance.
Next Steps for Compliance, Coding, and Billing Teams
1. Begin preparing all Medicare telehealth claims dated October 1, 2025 or later
Ensure documentation reflects the restored authorities. Expect MACs to resume normal processing shortly.
2. Review encounter documentation and coding logic
Confirm that service locations, modality indicators (audio/video), and provider types align with the reinstated flexibilities.
3. Update internal compliance alerts and provider education
Notify clinicians that flexibilities are restored. Reinforce when telehealth is appropriate, what qualifies, and how to document it.
4. Monitor CMS, MAC, and MLN Connects updates
Operational instructions may affect batching, modifiers, billing location, or processing timelines.
5. Reassess your organization’s 2026 telehealth strategy
With the “telehealth cliff” now pushed to January 30, 2026, organizations should continue scenario-planning. Pending legislation—such as the CONNECT for Health Act and the Telehealth Modernization Act of 2025—may offer longer-term solutions, but nothing is guaranteed.
Bottom Line
The passage of H.R. 5371 is a welcome relief for healthcare organizations and patients alike—but it also highlights how fragile temporary extensions can be. Now is the time for compliance leaders, revenue cycle teams, and clinical operations to stabilize workflows, update guidance, and prepare for what comes next in early 2026.
H.R. 5371 can be found here: Text – H.R.5371 – 119th Congress (2025-2026): Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress