CONNECT for Health Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4206
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-26: 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.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-03T08:06:32Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The CONNECT for Health Act of 2025 aims to permanently expand access to telehealth services (virtual medical consultations using technology) under Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people aged 65 and older or with certain disabilities. It removes barriers that limit where and how telehealth can be provided, strengthens oversight to prevent fraud, and supports beneficiaries and providers in using these services effectively. The goal is to improve care access, quality, and efficiency, especially in underserved areas, building on temporary expansions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Provisions
The bill is structured into three titles, focusing on access, integrity, and support.
Title I: Removing Barriers to Telehealth Coverage
- Geographic Requirements (Sec. 101): Eliminates limits on providing telehealth from non-rural areas starting October 1, 2025, allowing services anywhere in the U.S.
- Originating Sites (Sec. 102): Expands eligible locations where patients can receive telehealth (e.g., homes) permanently from the date of enactment, removing expiration dates tied to 2025.
- Eligible Practitioners (Sec. 103): Allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive restrictions on who can provide telehealth (e.g., adding physical therapists or audiologists) if clinically appropriate, with public input, requirements for protections, and reviews every three years.
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) (Sec. 104): Permits these community clinics to bill for telehealth as regular outpatient services after October 1, 2025, including costs in their payment systems; waives geographic rules during emergencies.
- Native American Health Facilities (Sec. 105): From January 1, 2026, exempts Indian Health Service facilities, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian health systems from originating site rules; no facility fee for these sites if they don't meet other criteria.
- Telemental Health (Sec. 106): Repeals the requirement for an in-person visit every six months for mental health telehealth, making it fully virtual without time limits.
- Public Health Emergencies (Sec. 107): Expands waivers of telehealth rules during declared emergencies beyond COVID-19, covering any public health crisis.
- Hospice Care Recertification (Sec. 108): Allows telehealth for recertifying patients' eligibility for end-of-life hospice care beyond the COVID emergency period; requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report in three years on impacts like recertification rates and oversight.
Title II: Program Integrity
- Fraud and Abuse Clarification (Sec. 201): Updates anti-kickback laws to allow providers to give beneficiaries free devices (e.g., tablets) for telehealth or remote monitoring without violating fraud rules, if not tied to advertising and meeting HHS standards.
- Oversight Resources (Sec. 202): Authorizes $3 million annually from 2026 to 2030 for the HHS Inspector General to audit and investigate telehealth fraud.
- Outlier Billing (Sec. 203): Requires HHS to identify providers with unusual high billing for telehealth (e.g., overly long sessions or duplicates) using claims data; notify them with comparisons to peers and guidelines; post aggregate data publicly without naming individuals; expands telehealth resource centers to educate outliers on proper billing.
Title III: Beneficiary and Provider Supports, Quality of Care, and Data
- Beneficiary Engagement (Sec. 301): Directs HHS to issue resources and training within six months on accessible telehealth for people with limited English proficiency or disabilities (e.g., interpreters, captions); requires a study and report in two years on engagement strategies for underserved groups, with funding authorized.
- Provider Supports (Sec. 302): Requires HHS to develop educational resources within six months on telehealth billing, privacy, and serving vulnerable patients, with funding authorized.
- Quality Measures (Sec. 303): Mandates HHS to review and update quality metrics (standards for measuring care effectiveness) to include telehealth within 180 days, consulting experts; identify gaps in outcomes and patient experience; issue guidance on data use; report to Congress in two years.
- Data Posting (Sec. 304): Requires HHS to post quarterly data on Medicare telehealth use (e.g., by patient type, location, service) starting 180 days after enactment, including spending impacts and outcomes.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Makes many temporary COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, such as removing rural-only geographic limits (previously set to expire in 2025) and expanding home-based originating sites.
- Repeals the six-month in-person requirement for mental health telehealth, which was a post-COVID holdover.
- Broadens practitioner eligibility via waivers, previously limited to physicians, nurses, and a few others.
- Clarifies fraud laws to explicitly permit technology loans to patients, reducing legal uncertainty.
- Adds new oversight tools like outlier notifications and quality measure inclusions, which were not previously required.
- Extends emergency waivers to future public health crises and integrates telehealth into FQHC/RHC payments and hospice processes.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases workload for HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in implementing waivers, oversight, education, and data reporting; provides dedicated funding for Inspector General audits to curb fraud, potentially saving costs long-term.
- On Citizens: Medicare beneficiaries (over 65 million people) gain easier access to virtual care, especially rural, Native American, low-mobility, or underserved individuals, reducing travel barriers and improving satisfaction (noted as 90% in findings); may lower overall health spending by expanding efficient care options.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic Medicare policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Medicare Beneficiaries: Primary recipients, particularly those in rural areas, with disabilities, limited English, or mobility issues, who benefit from broader access.
- Health Care Providers: Physicians, practitioners, FQHCs, RHCs, mental health specialists, and Native American/tribal facilities gain flexibility in delivering and billing for services but face new oversight on billing practices.
- Government Entities: HHS, CMS, and the Inspector General handle expanded administration, education, and enforcement; tribal organizations and Native Hawaiian systems receive targeted exemptions.
- Other Groups: Health technology vendors and software developers benefit from clarified rules on providing devices; underserved communities (e.g., via FQHCs) see improved equity in care.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens program integrity by updating fraud laws (e.g., anti-kickback statute) to accommodate telehealth without loopholes, while mandating periodic reviews of waivers to ensure clinical appropriateness; requires GAO reporting for accountability in hospice use.
- Constitutional: No major issues; aligns with Congress's authority over federal spending programs like Medicare, promoting equal access under the Spending Clause without infringing on states' rights (telehealth rules apply federally but allow state variations where not specified).
- Political: Reflects bipartisan support (introduced by members from both parties) for post-pandemic telehealth permanence, addressing workforce shortages and access disparities; emphasizes evidence-based expansion (e.g., citing 24% utilization in 2023), but could spark debates on costs, fraud risks, or over-reliance on technology versus in-person care.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (239)
Rep. Schweikert, David [R-AZ-1], Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7], Rep. Balderson, Troy [R-OH-12], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Golden, Jared F. [D-ME-2], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3], Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9], Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-28], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2], Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6], Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large], Rep. Liccardo, Sam T. [D-CA-16] and 189 more
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-26: 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.
- 2025-06-26: 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.
- 2025-06-26: Introduced in House
- 2025-06-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-26 — PDF (27 pages)