Telemental Health Care Access Act of 2025

Summary

Amends a provision of the Social Security Act (section 1834(m)(7)) to change specific wording, remove one subparagraph, and make two other small textual edits. The change removes the words “mental health services,” replaces the following text with the words “The geographic,” and deletes subparagraph (B). The amendment is effective retroactively as if it had been included in the enactment of section 123 of division CC of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116–260). This is a targeted, technical change to statutory text that affects how that particular Medicare/telehealth-related subsection is read and applied; it does not appropriate new funds or create a new program. Administrative action (for example, updated CMS guidance or rule text) may be needed to reflect the revised statutory language and to address any implications for past claims or interpretations tied to the original wording.

Key Points

• Alters statutory wording in Social Security Act section 1834(m)(7) by striking “mental health services,” inserting “The geographic,” and removing subparagraph (B).
• Is a targeted, technical amendment limited to a single subsection rather than a broad policy change.
• Takes effect retroactively as if included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (division CC, section 123).
• Does not authorize new spending or change the tax code.
• May require CMS to update program guidance, billing instructions, and internal policies to reflect the new text.
• Could affect interpretation of telehealth/Medicare rules and possibly past claims or audits tied to the prior wording.
• Likely intended as a clarification or correction of statutory text rather than a substantive policy overhaul.
• No explicit new mandates on states or emergency funding designations are included.

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