2027 Medicare Telehealth Billing: Which Providers Can Still Bill for Remote Services?
Yes, providers can still bill Medicare for telehealth in 2027. Congress extended the major flexibilities through December 31, 2027, and CMS finalized the CY 2027 Physician Fee Schedule on November 4, 2026. But 2027 is not a copy of 2026. Two new claim modifiers, BB and BC, become required on January 1, 2027, behavioral health rules are set to change in 2028, and eligibility depends on provider type, service and claim type. Practices should review eligibility, coding, modifiers, documentation and reimbursement workflows now, before the new year starts. This guide explains who can bill, what is temporary and what practices should update.
Quick answer: can providers still bill Medicare for telehealth in 2027?
Extension dates Most flexibilities run through Dec 31, 2027. | Patient location Patients can be anywhere in the U.S., including home, through 2027. | Providers An extended range of practitioners may bill through 2027. |
Audio-only Allowed in patients’ homes through Dec 31, 2027. | New modifiers BB and BC required from Jan 1, 2027. | Behavioral health Geographic limits are permanent; in-person rules start after Dec 31, 2027. |
Source: CMS Telehealth FAQ (updated 10/8/26) and the CY 2027 final rule in the Federal Register.
Medicare telehealth rules: what applies in 2027
Medicare policy | 2027 requirement | Status | Billing consideration |
Geographic and originating site | Services can be received anywhere in the U.S., including the home. From Jan 1, 2028, generally a rural medical facility, except behavioral health | Temporary through Dec 31, 2027 | Report POS 02 or POS 10 accurately |
Practitioners | Extended range of practitioners through 2027; PT, OT, SLP and audiologists lose eligibility Jan 1, 2028 | Temporary | Check provider type before billing |
Audio-only | Allowed in patients’ homes through 2027; from 2028 only for behavioral health under set conditions | Temporary | Document why audio-only was used |
Behavioral health | No geographic or POS limits; in-person visit rules start after Dec 31, 2027 | Geographic rule permanent | Track in-person visit dates |
FQHC and RHC | Non-behavioral telehealth billable through 2027; since Oct 1, 2026, individual CPT/HCPCS codes with a telehealth modifier replace G2025 | Temporary through 2027 | Update claim logic |
Modifiers BB and BC | Required on certain telehealth claims; no payment impact | Starts Jan 1, 2027 | Add modifier edits |
Which providers can bill Medicare for telehealth in 2027?
Provider type | Telehealth eligibility | Important considerations |
Physicians; NPs; PAs | Eligible distant-site practitioners | Service must be on the Medicare telehealth list |
Clinical psychologists; clinical social workers | Eligible for covered behavioral health services | Scope follows the service and state licensure |
CRNAs; certified nurse-midwives; clinical nurse specialists | Eligible practitioner categories | Service-specific; verify the service list |
Physical and occupational therapists; speech-language pathologists; audiologists | Eligible through Dec 31, 2027 only | Not eligible from Jan 1, 2028 |
Hospital staff (remote outpatient therapy, DSMT, MNT) | Billable to homes through Dec 31, 2027 | Ends Jan 1, 2028 |
FQHCs and RHCs | May serve as distant sites | Behavioral health paid under AIR/PPS |
Eligibility depends on provider category, covered service, enrollment status and service-specific rules. Not every professional can bill every telehealth service.
New Medicare telehealth modifiers BB and BC
Modifier BB Telehealth furnished through a virtual platform by a practitioner who contracts with the platform’s owner, or has a payment arrangement for its use. Illustrative scenario: a therapist contracts with a virtual-care company that owns the platform and bills Medicare under her own NPI. Not a coding instruction. | Modifier BC Telehealth services furnished incident to a physician’s or practitioner’s professional service. Illustrative scenario: a telehealth service furnished incident to the billing practitioner’s own professional service. Confirm requirements with your MAC. |
Both take effect January 1, 2027, have no payment implications, and do not replace modifiers 93 or 95. They identify arrangements; they do not guarantee coverage or payment. See also our BB and BC modifier guide.
Claim preparation checklist ☐ Identify the service delivery arrangement ☐ Confirm whether a virtual platform is involved ☐ Decide whether the service is incident to another practitioner’s service ☐ Verify the applicable modifier ☐ Review the claim before submission ☐ Confirm current CMS and MAC instructions |
Medicare telehealth CPT codes and POS requirements
Service category | Example codes | POS / modifier notes | Verification |
Office E/M | 99202–99215 | POS 02 or 10; BB or BC if applicable | Check the telehealth list |
Psychiatric evaluation and psychotherapy | 90791, 90792, 90832, 90834, 90837, 90846, 90847, 90853 | Behavioral rules apply; home allowed | Check list and in-person rules |
Remote monitoring (RPM, RTM) | e.g., 99453, 99454, 99457 | Not Medicare telehealth services; telehealth restrictions do not apply | Follow their own rules |
Care management (CCM, BHI) | Various | Non-face-to-face; not telehealth list services | Follow their own rules |
Originating site fee | Q3014 | Facility fee, not a visit code | 2027 amount per final rule |
POS 02 means telehealth other than in the patient’s home; POS 10 means telehealth in the patient’s home, paid at the non-facility rate since 2024. Modifier 93 identifies audio-only and 95 identifies synchronous audio-video where payers require them; the CMS FAQ addresses POS but not these, so confirm with your MAC. Codes must match the service furnished and documented.
Audio-only vs. audio-video telehealth
Factor | Audio-only | Audio-video |
Technology | Two-way, real-time audio | Two-way, real-time audio and video |
2027 status | Allowed in patients’ homes through Dec 31, 2027 | Allowed for listed services through 2027 |
From 2028 | Behavioral health only, if the practitioner can use video and the patient cannot or does not consent | Behavioral health at home continues; other services generally need a rural medical facility |
Modifier | Often 93 where required | Often 95 where required |
Documentation | Reason for audio-only, time, consent | Platform, patient location, clinical detail |
Not every phone call qualifies. The service must be a covered telehealth service furnished in a permitted way.
Behavioral health telehealth billing in 2027
• Geographic and place-of-service limits for behavioral health telehealth are permanently removed, and audio-only is permitted.
• Clinical psychologists and clinical social workers are eligible practitioners for covered services.
• The statutory in-person visit requirement applies after December 31, 2027. Patients who began mental health telehealth at home by that date are treated as established and need an in-person visit at least every 12 months after.
• Document medical necessity, modality and patient location. No blanket coverage is assured.
Common Medicare telehealth billing mistakes
Mistake | How it can affect claims |
Incorrect POS reporting | Wrong payment rate or denial |
Missing modifiers (including BB or BC from 2027) | Claim edits or rejections |
Assuming every provider is eligible | Denial for ineligible practitioner |
Unsupported telehealth codes | Denial; the service is not on the list |
Incomplete documentation or medical necessity | Denial or audit risk |
Wrong patient location | POS and rate mismatch |
Skipping payer-specific checks | Commercial and Medicaid rules differ |
Incorrect FQHC or RHC reporting | Payment delays after the Oct 1, 2026 change |
Not updating 2027 workflows | Preventable denials from January |
Is your practice ready for 2027 Medicare telehealth billing?
☐ Provider eligibility reviewed ☐ 2027 telehealth policies verified ☐ BB and BC modifier workflows updated ☐ POS 02 and POS 10 reporting reviewed ☐ Audio-only billing workflows reviewed ☐ Behavioral health requirements checked | ☐ CPT and HCPCS references updated ☐ Documentation templates reviewed ☐ Staff trained on new requirements ☐ Claim scrubbing rules updated ☐ Denial monitoring established ☐ FQHC and RHC instructions reviewed |
Click the boxes in Word. Completed: ____ of 12. Educational only.
How medical billing companies can help
A billing partner can support eligibility verification, coding review, claim scrubbing, modifier validation, submission, denial management, A/R follow-up, documentation review, revenue leakage identification, audits and reporting. Human specialists and technology work best together: software flags edits, people judge the documentation and payer rules.
How Sirius Solutions Global supports billing and RCM
The Sirius Solutions Global website lists medical billing, medical coding, eligibility verification, denial management, prior authorization, credentialing, medical billing audit and A/R follow-up services, using AI-assisted checks with human verification. These can support practices handling Medicare and telehealth claims. We do not guarantee reimbursement or compliance, and we publish no telehealth-specific client results.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can physicians still bill Medicare for telehealth in 2027? Yes, for services on the Medicare telehealth list, through December 31, 2027 under current law. |
Q: Which providers are eligible in 2027? An extended range of practitioners, including physicians, NPs, PAs, psychologists, social workers, CRNAs and, through 2027 only, PTs, OTs, SLPs and audiologists. |
Q: Are telehealth services covered through December 31, 2027? Yes. Most flexibilities run through that date; some rules change January 1, 2028. |
Q: Can patients receive telehealth from home in 2027? Yes. Through December 31, 2027 beneficiaries can receive services anywhere in the U.S., including home. |
Q: What are modifiers BB and BC? BB: telehealth through a virtual platform with which the practitioner contracts or has a payment arrangement. BC: telehealth furnished incident to a professional service. Required from January 1, 2027; no payment impact. |
Q: Does Medicare still cover audio-only in 2027? Yes, in patients’ homes through December 31, 2027. From 2028 it is limited to behavioral health under set conditions. |
Q: What is the difference between POS 02 and POS 10? POS 02 is telehealth other than in the patient’s home; POS 10 is telehealth in the patient’s home. |
Q: Can behavioral health providers bill virtual visits in 2027? Yes. In-person visit requirements apply after December 31, 2027, with limits for established patients. |
Q: Can NPs and PAs bill Medicare for telehealth? Yes, for covered telehealth services, subject to enrollment and service rules. |
Q: What CPT codes can be used? Only services on the Medicare telehealth list, such as office E/M and psychotherapy codes. Remote monitoring is not a telehealth service. |
Q: What documentation is required? Typically the service delivered, modality, patient location, medical necessity and, where used, the reason for audio-only. |
Q: How can a billing company help? By verifying eligibility, validating codes and modifiers, scrubbing claims and managing denials. Results depend on your claims. |
Disclaimer For general information only; not legal, coding, compliance or financial advice. Medicare applies to traditional fee-for-service; Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and commercial plans set their own rules. Policies change, and this guide reflects sources reviewed November 11, 2026. Verify current requirements with CMS and your MAC before billing. Sirius Solutions Global does not guarantee reimbursement or compliance. To request a correction, email Info@siriussolutionsglobal.com. |
