Safeguarding Telehealth Access: What the Bipartisan CONNECT for Health Act Means for Patients and Providers
In a rare show of bipartisan unity, Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) have reintroduced the CONNECT for Health Act of 2025, legislation that aims to make telehealth flexibilities permanent for Medicare beneficiaries and improve access to virtual care across the country.
This bill is more than just an extension of pandemic-era conveniences — it’s a critical step toward embedding telehealth into the fabric of U.S. healthcare policy, offering certainty to providers, expanded access for patients, and clearer regulatory pathways for innovators in digital health.
Why Telehealth Advocates Should Pay Attention
The CONNECT for Health Act (Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies) builds upon previous versions introduced in 2021 and 2023, but the 2025 update addresses key gaps in telehealth policy and reflects lessons learned from the COVID-19 public health emergency. Here’s why this bill matters for telehealth stakeholders:
Top Components Telehealth Providers and Patient Care Advocates Should Know
1. Permanent Removal of Geographic & Site Restrictions
Historically, Medicare telehealth services were only covered if the patient lived in a rural area and received care at a healthcare facility — not at home. The CONNECT for Health Act permanently removes these restrictions, ensuring patients can access telehealth from anywhere, including their own homes.
Why It Matters:
Expands telehealth access to urban and suburban patients.
Reduces unnecessary facility visits.
Increases flexibility for home-based care models.
2. Expanded List of Eligible Providers
The bill broadens the types of providers eligible to deliver telehealth services under Medicare — including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists.
Why It Matters:
Opens doors for rehabilitation services, chronic care management, and specialty care to leverage telehealth.
Aligns with broader efforts to expand provider participation in digital health.
3. Permanent Flexibility for Behavioral Health Services
The legislation solidifies flexibilities for mental and behavioral health services, including allowing audio-only telehealth for beneficiaries who lack reliable broadband access.
Why It Matters:
Supports ongoing efforts to address the behavioral health crisis.
Reduces barriers for patients in rural or underserved areas.
Ensures patients without video capabilities can still receive care.
4. Support for FQHCs and RHCs
The bill ensures Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) can permanently serve as both distant and originating sites for telehealth services.
Why It Matters:
Ensures safety-net providers can fully leverage telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries.
Strengthens care options for rural and underserved populations.
5. Telehealth Payment Parity & Flexibility for Innovation
The bill allows CMS to test and evaluate new telehealth models, including payment methodologies that incentivize high-quality, cost-effective virtual care.
Why It Matters:
Opens the door for value-based telehealth reimbursement models.
Encourages pilot programs that test telehealth integration into chronic care management, remote monitoring, and digital therapeutics.
6. Quality and Privacy Safeguards
The bill emphasizes maintaining quality of care standards and ensuring patient privacy protections within telehealth delivery.
Why It Matters:
Aligns with growing regulatory focus on health data privacy.
Reinforces clinical quality expectations for virtual care delivery.
The Bigger Picture for Telehealth Innovation & Patient Access
The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 isn’t just about extending temporary policies — it’s about creating a long-term policy framework that encourages investment, supports clinical innovation, and ensures patients — regardless of location — have equitable access to high-quality care.
It’s also a green light for digital health companies, remote patient monitoring platforms, and AI-driven health tools to fully integrate into Medicare’s care delivery ecosystem — without the regulatory uncertainty that has hampered long-term investment in telehealth infrastructure.
What’s Next?
The bill has strong bipartisan support, but it will require sustained advocacy from the telehealth community to ensure passage. Organizations like CTeL will play a critical role in educating policymakers, submitting comment letters, and ensuring provider and patient voices are heard.
The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 represents a critical milestone for embedding telehealth into mainstream Medicare policy. For providers, innovators, and patients alike, the future of telehealth hinges on turning temporary flexibilities into permanent solutions — and this bill brings us one step closer.
Want to stay on top of how this bill evolves and how it could impact your organization’s telehealth strategy? Follow CTeL’s Policy Scoop podcast and check out our upcoming Digital Health Tech & AI Showcase for real-time insights.