Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act

Refreshed 1 h ago

Introduced 2026-02-09Topic: health care

Summary

Summary by the Congressional Research Service

Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act This bill expands coverage of telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the bill permanently (1) removes geographic restrictions on originating sites (i.e., the location of the beneficiary), (2) allows the home of the beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services, (3) allows federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner), and (4) expands coverage to include audio-only services for evaluation and management and behavioral health services.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Action history

Date	Chamber	Action	Status effect
2026-02-09	House	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.	refer
2026-02-09	House	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.	refer
2026-02-09		Introduced in House	introduce
2026-02-09		Introduced in House	introduce

Summary

Sponsors

Action history