At the end of 2024, Congress extended telehealth flexibilities in Medicare through March 31, 2025. Congress must act now to extend these flexibilities further or make them permanent. One flexibility which NASW has advocated for years is the removal of the problematic requirement that Medicare beneficiaries have an in-person visit within the last 6 months to access telemental health care and annually after the initial in-person visit. This requirement applies to telemental health care, not tele-substance use disorder care.

Mental health conditions remain the top telehealth diagnosis since the onset of the pandemic, rising from 34% to 67% of diagnoses. We need your help in ensuring that Congress permanently removes the 6-month in-person requirement so that it never takes effect. It is also important that Congress extend the other telehealth flexibilities that allow Medicare beneficiaries to access mental health services using the most appropriate and accessible modality.

Contact your Senators and Representative TODAY and urge them to vote to extend telehealth flexibilities and permanently remove the 6-month in-person requirement for telemental health services. Help them understand the mental health needs of Medicare beneficiaries in your community. Personalized communication goes a long way with a member of Congress.