Congress Extends Medicare Telehealth Authority Through 2027, ASHA Continues Push for Permanence

February 5, 2026

Thanks to sustained advocacy from ASHA and its members, Congress included a key provision in H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, to extend Medicare telehealth authority for audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) through December 31, 2027.

This means that Medicare Part B beneficiaries can continue to access covered audiology and speech-language pathology services via telehealth through that date. Telehealth was delinked from government funding deadlines, which makes it less likely that this authority will lapse if there are funding disagreements between the parties in the future.

This is a significant step forward for both providers and patients, stabilizing telehealth policy while Congress considers permanent legislative solutions. However, without action by Congress to pass a permanent policy, telehealth authority could again be at risk in 2028.

ASHA Advocacy: Fighting for Telehealth Access

Since Congress first authorized audiologists and SLPs to deliver telehealth through traditional Medicare under the CARES Act of 2020, ASHA and telehealth advocates have worked hard to maintain that authority.

Over the past nearly six years, ASHA has:

• Developed and built support for multiple bipartisan bills that would permanently authorize audiologists and SLPs as Medicare telehealth providers;
• Secured multiple extensions of Medicare telehealth authority through numerous government funding bills; and
• Mobilized ASHA members to send nearly 20,000 messages to Congress, ensuring policymakers hear directly from their constituents about the importance of telehealth access.

ASHA continues to work with key congressional offices and coalitions to ensure that legislators understand the value and effectiveness of audiology and speech-language pathology telehealth services and that federal policy reflects that value.

Regulatory Progress: Telehealth Wins in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

In addition to legislative advocacy, ASHA has also achieved significant telehealth regulatory wins through the annual Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) rulemaking process, including:

• Permanent inclusion of certain audiology and speech-language pathology codes on the Medicare Telehealth Services List; and
• New codes for auditory osseointegrated device services and caregiver training services that have been added to the telehealth list in response to ASHA's request.

What's Next: The Need for Permanent Telehealth Authority

While the extension through 2027 is an important step, ASHA's ultimate objective is permanent coverage of our members and their services. Without congressional action, patients and providers will once again face uncertainty in the future.

ASHA is urging Congress to pass legislation that would permanently authorize audiologists and SLPs as Medicare telehealth providers. This will ensure certainty for providers and continuity of care for patients so that seniors have access to the hearing, balance, speech, language, swallowing, and cognitive communication care that audiologists and SLPs provide.

Take Action

Send a message to your members of Congress urging them to cosponsor legislation to permanently authorize telehealth services for audiologists and SLPs under Medicare.

Questions?

For questions about Medicare policy and payment, contact ASHA's health care and education policy team at [email protected]. For questions about the federal legislative process and how you can take action, contact the federal and political affairs team at [email protected].