H.R. 5496 explained · 119th Congress · Pending in Congress
HEALTH Act of 2025
Cosponsors: 5 (5 D, 0 R) · per Congress.gov, 2026-10-10
Introduced: 2025-09-18
Latest action (2025-09-18): Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
What H.R. 5496 does, in plain terms
Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth Act of 2025 or the HEALTH Act of 2025 This bill modifies requirements relating to Medicare coverage of telehealth services, including services that are furnished by federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs). Specifically, the bill expands coverage to include audio-only telehealth services. It also permanently allows FQHCs and RHCs to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner) for telehealth services and excludes such services from certain geographic restrictions. Payment must be made in the same manner as for non-telehealth services, rather than in accordance with a separate methodology determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.
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