HHS Fact Sheet: Telehealth Flexibilities and Resources and the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

​As the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or the Department) continues the process of transitioning away from the policies enabled by the COVID-19 emergency declarations, the Department would like to provide clarity regarding the future of federal flexibilities related to telehealth and tele prescribing to ensure that patients may continue to access and receive the care that they need.

HHS has created a fact sheet outlining key details of what will change and what will stay the same for patients and providers when the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) declared by the Secretary of HHS under Public Health Service Act section 319 (referred to below as the “COVID-19 PHE”) PHE ends. Congress extended many telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program that people relied on during the COVID-19 PHE through the end of 2024 via the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. HHS will share additional guidance on updates and timing related to the continuation of these flexibilities. In addition, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) manages an HHS website, Telehealth.HHS.gov, which will continue to be a resource for patients, providers, and states to get information about telehealth, such as telehealth best practices, policy and reimbursement updates, interstate licensure, broadband, funding opportunities, and events.

The fact sheet has details on various telehealth topics including:

• Medicare & Telehealth
• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Rules and COVID-19
• Tele-Behavioral Health and the COVID-19 PHE
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Rules and the PHE
• Licensure for Tele-Behavioral Health
• Broadband Access