Medicare telehealth, hospital-at-home payments on hold

Medicare will hold claims for telehealth and hospital-at-home services while Congress is at an impasse over funding the government and renewing key healthcare programs, the agency said in a notice Wednesday.

The legal authorities for fee-for-service Medicare to cover telehealth and hospital-at-home care expired Oct. 1. CMS has instructed Medicare billing contractors to hold claims for services performed on or after that date, the agency said in the notice.

Congress failed to extend these programs amid the stalemate over fiscal 2026 government spending, which led to a shutdown that began Oct. 1.

“CMS will continue to process and pay held claims in a timely manner with the exception of select claims for services impacted by the expired provisions,” the agency said in the notice. “To date, no payments have been delayed as statute already requires all claims to be held for a minimum of 14 days, and this recent hold is consistent with that statutory requirement. Providers may continue to submit claims accordingly.”

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