Impacts to Telehealth from Federal Shutdown
Patient care continues as normal for the vast majority of UI Health Care patients despite the federal government shutdown. However, there are some telehealth visits that are no longer being covered by Medicare and some Medicare Advantage plans.
Safety and continuity of care are what matters most, and we encourage patients to keep their scheduled appointments.
As an organization, we have made the decision to put patients first and will cover any unreimbursed costs related to Medicare telehealth visits that occur during this time. If patients have additional questions about billing and coverage for telehealth visits, please reach out to Patient Financial Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Medicare and Medicare Advantage telehealth flexibilities that were in place during the COVID-19 public health emergency expired Sept. 30, 2025. These flexibilities allowed Medicare and Medicare Advantage patients to receive telehealth services for health care in their home.
Telehealth is currently impacted for patients with Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans if the visit originates from home or is done via audio. Behavioral health telehealth visits are not impacted by these changes and continue to be covered by Medicare and Medicare.
Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans are the only ones impacted. There is no impact on Medicaid, private insurance, or other payors.
Safety and continuity of care are what matters most, and we encourage patients to keep their scheduled appointments. As an organization, we have made the decision to put patients first and will cover any unreimbursed costs related to Medicare telehealth visits that occur during this time.
Because it is unclear whether some telehealth visits will be covered during the government shutdown, UI Health Care has decided to hold on billing for these visits. If we learn that Medicare/Medicare Advantage will not reimburse us for these telehealth services, patients will not be asked to cover the unreimbursed costs.