HR 7444

The Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act aims to improve access to telehealth services for Medicare patients, particularly in rural areas. It permanently removes geographic restrictions on where telehealth services can be delivered, allowing homes to be used as originating sites. The bill also expands telehealth coverage to include audio-only services for certain evaluations and behavioral health care, and provides increased flexibility for critical access hospitals and Federally qualified health centers to participate in telehealth programs. Finally, it extends telehealth flexibilities to ensure equitable access to services.