The federal government will partially shut down starting Jan. 30 at midnight as Congress continues to negotiate on remaining appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026. Funding for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies will expire and Medicare telehealth flexibilities will once again lapse.

Until Congress is able to pass a funding package with a telehealth flexibilities extension, the following changes apply:

• Geographic restrictions will return, limiting telehealth services to rural areas as they were before the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
• "Originating sites" will be required, so Medicare patients will no longer be able to receive telehealth services in their homes.
• Audio-only services for Medicare patients will expire.
• The Acute Hospital Care at Home program will lapse.

Although this partial shutdown is expected to be short, and Congress has historically made funding and policies retroactive, clinicians should consider adjusting their patient schedules for telehealth services.

The College remains committed to preserving existing provisions in the health care funding package that extend telehealth flexibilities, reestablish in-home cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services, and support vital health agencies and initiatives. Visit ACC.org/Advocacy and read the weekly ACC Advocate newsletter for the latest updates.

Keywords: ACC Advocacy, Federal Government, Medicare, Telemedicine, Policy, Public Health