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Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act of 2025
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow for the furnishing of audio-only telehealth services.
Summary
The bill would amend Medicare law to allow coverage and payment for certain telehealth services that are delivered via audio-only communications systems, such as telephone calls, rather than requiring video-based telehealth. The specific telehealth services eligible for audio-only delivery are those identified in existing Medicare regulations as of the bill's enactment date. Coverage would be effective from the first day of the emergency period referenced in Medicare law.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
- Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Randy Feenstra’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $38,384
- MARQUIS MANAGEMENT INC. $21,800
- BGR GROUP $15,800
- DOLL DISTRIBUTING $13,700
- FRONTIER BANK $13,450
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Randy Feenstra → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Mar 6, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. · house
- Mar 6, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 6, 2025
Mr. Feenstra (for himself and Mr. Pappas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow for the furnishing of audio-only telehealth services.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. ALLOWING FOR THE FURNISHING OF AUDIO-ONLY TELEHEALTH SERVICES.
Section 1834(m)(9) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(9)) is amended in the first sentence to read as follows: “The Secretary shall provide coverage and payment under this part for telehealth services identified in paragraph (4)(F)(i) as of the date of the enactment of this paragraph that are furnished via an audio-only communications system on or after the first day of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B).”. <all>
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