The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services first implemented a Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration on January 21, 2020. Since then, the PHE was reauthorized multiple times, officially ending on May 11, 2023.

Under the PHE, certain provisions were applied that expanded Medicare telehealth coverage. These provisions allowed for flexibility regarding how and where patients could be seen via telehealth; the reimbursement rates for telehealth services; and clinician licensure. Recognizing the benefits of these flexibilities to clinicians and patients alike, APA has advocated that many of these be made permanent post-PHE. Many of the flexibilities enjoyed during the PHE were retained, either total or in-part. The document summarizes telehealth policies during the PHE and the policies as they currently stand through December 2025.

Download the comparison document here (.pdf)