CONNECT for Health Act of 2025

March 30, 2026 - 11:04

A significant legislative effort to cement telehealth access for Medicare beneficiaries is advancing through Congress. The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 aims to permanently remove geographic restrictions and expand the types of healthcare providers and services eligible for telehealth reimbursement under Medicare.

Key provisions of the bill include eliminating the requirement for patients to be located in rural areas, allowing health centers and rural health clinics to permanently offer telehealth, and expanding coverage for asynchronous, or "store-and-forward," communications. It also seeks to grant the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to waive additional restrictions, providing flexibility for the future of digital care.

The bill enjoys broad, bipartisan support from a coalition of over 60 senators and representatives. It is strongly backed by major healthcare stakeholder groups, including the American Medical Association, AARP, and numerous hospital and telehealth advocacy organizations. They argue that making pandemic-era flexibilities permanent is critical for maintaining access, especially for seniors managing chronic conditions and those in underserved communities.

For states like Pennsylvania, with a significant aging population and large rural regions, the legislation's passage would ensure continued access to vital medical consultations without the burden of long-distance travel. It would provide certainty for the state's healthcare systems that have heavily invested in telehealth infrastructure, allowing them to plan long-term service delivery models that integrate in-person and virtual care seamlessly. The Act represents a pivotal step toward modernizing Medicare to meet the evolving needs of America's seniors.