Medicare pays for telehealth visits in 2025, but the coverage depends on the type of visit, your plan, and where you are when you receive care

Medicare Part B covers telehealth for most beneficiaries, meaning you can have a video or phone visit with your doctor and Medicare will pay its share, just as it would for an in-person visit. However, not every type of telehealth visit qualifies, and some visits may cost you more than others. The rules changed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been extended, but they are not permanent — Congress votes periodically on whether to continue them.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), your coverage for telehealth may be different from Original Medicare. Some Advantage plans offer telehealth at no cost to you, while others charge a copay. You should check your plan documents or call your plan directly to learn what you will pay.

Key Takeaways

  • Medicare Part B covers video and phone visits with doctors who participate in Medicare, and you pay the same copay or coinsurance as you would for an in-person visit.
  • You can have a telehealth visit from home, your car, or anywhere with internet or phone service — you do not have to be in a doctor's office or hospital.
  • Medicare Advantage plans set their own telehealth rules, so your out-of-pocket cost depends on which plan you have.
  • Some telehealth services, such as mental health counseling and certain specialist visits, are covered under the same rules as in-person care.
  • The expanded telehealth rules that began during the pandemic are set to expire unless Congress votes to extend them again.

What Medicare Part B covers for telehealth

Medicare Part B pays for telehealth visits with doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certain other providers who accept Medicare. The visit can be by video (using your computer, tablet, or smartphone) or by phone. You pay the same copay or coinsurance you would pay for an in-person visit — usually 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount after you have met your deductible.

The provider must be enrolled in Medicare and must use a find video platform or phone line. Common platforms include Zoom for Healthcare, Cisco Webex, Microsoft Teams, and others that meet federal privacy rules. Your doctor's office will tell you which platform they use and how to join the visit.

You can be anywhere when you have the visit — at home, in your car, at a friend's house, or anywhere else with internet or phone service. You do not have to be in a medical office or hospital. This is one of the biggest changes from the rules before the pandemic, when Medicare required you to be in a doctor's office or certain other locations.

Telehealth services that Medicare covers

Medicare covers telehealth for most types of visits: primary care, specialist appointments, mental health counseling, substance use disorder treatment, and follow-up visits after surgery or hospitalization. You can also have a telehealth visit for a new problem, not just follow-up care.

Some services are not covered by telehealth. Physical exams that require the doctor to touch you, such as checking your heart rate or listening to your lungs, cannot be done by video or phone. If your doctor thinks you need an in-person exam, they will schedule one. Certain procedures and tests also require you to be in person.

If you use a telehealth platform directly — such as calling your doctor's office or using your health system's patient portal to request a video visit — that visit is covered the same way. However, if you use a telehealth app or service that is not connected to your doctor's office, Medicare may not pay for it. Always check with your doctor's office first to see if they offer telehealth.

How Medicare Advantage plans handle telehealth

Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) can set their own rules for telehealth coverage. Some plans offer telehealth visits at no cost to you, while others charge a copay of $0 to $50 per visit, depending on the plan. A few plans offer unlimited telehealth visits at no cost as a benefit to attract members.

Your Advantage plan may also limit which doctors you can see by telehealth — usually to doctors in the plan's network. If you see an out-of-network provider by telehealth, you may pay more or the visit may not be covered at all. Check your plan's summary of benefits or call the plan to learn what telehealth costs under your specific coverage.

Some Advantage plans partner with telehealth companies to offer visits with doctors outside your local area. These visits are usually covered at a lower copay than in-person visits. Ask your plan whether it offers this benefit.

What you pay for a telehealth visit

Under Original Medicare (Part B), you pay the same amount for a telehealth visit as you would for an in-person visit with the same doctor. If your doctor charges $100 and Medicare approves $80, you pay 20 percent of $80 (which is $16) after you have met your Part B deductible. The copay does not change because the visit is by video or phone instead of in person.

If you have not met your deductible for the year, you pay the full approved amount until you reach $240 (the 2025 Part B deductible). After that, you pay 20 percent of each visit.

If you have a Medigap or Medicaid policy, it may cover some or all of your copay, just as it would for an in-person visit. Check your policy documents or call your insurance company to confirm.

How to set up a telehealth visit

Call your doctor's office and ask if they offer telehealth visits. Many primary care offices, specialists, and mental health providers now offer video or phone visits. Tell them you want to schedule a telehealth appointment and ask which platform they use.

Your doctor's office will send you a link or instructions on how to join the visit. You will need a device with internet access (computer, tablet, or smartphone) or a phone line. Test your internet connection or phone before the visit to make sure it works.

On the day of the visit, join a few minutes early so you can check that your camera and microphone work (if using video). Have your insurance card and a list of your current medications ready. The visit will work the same as an in-person appointment — the doctor will ask about your symptoms, examine you (as much as possible by video), and discuss treatment options.

When the expanded telehealth rules might end

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare expanded telehealth rules to allow visits from home and by phone without a prior in-person visit. These rules were set to expire in December 2024, but Congress has extended them multiple times. As of 2025, the rules remain in place, but they are not permanent.

Congress votes periodically on whether to continue the expanded telehealth rules. If they are not extended again, Medicare may go back to requiring you to have an in-person visit first before using telehealth, or requiring you to be in a doctor's office during a telehealth visit. Watch for updates from Medicare or your doctor's office if the rules change.

You can check the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website for the most current information on telehealth coverage. Your doctor's office can also tell you what the current rules are.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have seen my doctor in person before I can have a telehealth visit?

No. Under the current rules, you can have a telehealth visit with a Medicare provider even if you have never seen them in person before. However, if Congress lets the expanded rules expire, this may change. Check with your doctor's office about their current policy.

Can I use any video app, like FaceTime or WhatsApp, for a Medicare-covered telehealth visit?

Only if your doctor's office uses that app for medical visits and it meets federal privacy rules. Most doctor's offices use find platforms like Zoom for Healthcare, Webex, or Microsoft Teams. Ask your doctor which platform they use before the visit.

What if my internet is not reliable or I do not have a smartphone?

You can have a telehealth visit by phone instead of video. Call your doctor's office and ask for a phone visit. Medicare covers phone visits the same way it covers video visits, and you pay the same copay.

Will my telehealth visit cost more if I live in a rural area?

No. Medicare pays the same amount for a telehealth visit regardless of where you live. Your copay or coinsurance does not change based on location.

What should I ask my doctor before scheduling a telehealth visit?

Ask whether the visit is right for your condition, which platform they use, whether you need to read anything beforehand, and what to have ready (such as your insurance card or a list of symptoms). Also ask what the copay will be and whether you need to be in a private space during the visit.