Recent developments in Medicare telehealth services have created significant challenges for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Chronic Care Management (CCM) providers. A federal government shutdown in October 2025 resulted in a temporary halt on Medicare claims payments and ended many pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities. These changes have disrupted reimbursement processes and narrowed coverage, creating uncertainty for healthcare providers and patients relying on telehealth and remote care.
Impact of the Federal Government Shutdown on RPM and CCM Services
The government shutdown caused Medicare to pause reimbursement payments for most non-behavioral health telehealth claims starting October 1, 2025. Pandemic-era expansions that facilitated easier payment and access for telehealth were not reauthorized, leaving many RPM and CCM services without coverage except in limited rural or health shortage areas. Providers faced decisions about whether to continue telehealth services without guaranteed payment or to require patients to return to in-person visits, which risks delays and logistical challenges especially for vulnerable populations.
Payment Disruptions: What Medical Providers Need to Know
Many Medicare beneficiaries—approximately 7 million annually—use telehealth to consult their physicians and manage chronic diseases through RPM and CCM programs. The suspension of telehealth services disrupts this care continuum, forcing patients to travel for in-person visits or face out-of-pocket payments. Hospitals that had invested in “hospital at home” programs, which greatly leverage RPM, have had to discharge patients or admit them to facilities due to lack of reimbursement for remote care. Providers have expressed concern that these interruptions undermine the credibility and expansion of telehealth care, with potential long-term effects on patient access and outcomes.
How Medical Providers Minimize Telehealth Payment Disruptions
Providers are taking varied approaches during this disruption. Some continue offering telehealth visits without submitting claims while hoping for retroactive reimbursement once the shutdown resolves. Others have to in-person visits for new appointments, which may disproportionately impact patients with serious, mobility-challenging conditions.
The uncertain political environment underscores the importance of congressional action to reinstate telehealth flexibilities and sustain RPM and CCM services that have proven benefits in managing chronic conditions remotely.
Outsourcing Telehealth Services and RCM
Especially during turbulent times, healthcare providers who partner with full-service solution providers like Medify Health for combined Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Chronic Care Management (CCM) experience significant benefits in both workload management and financial performance.
Medify Health takes on the entire administrative burden, handling patient enrollment, education, device management, and real-time health data monitoring using advanced AI tools and a dedicated clinical staff. Importantly, Medify also manages the complex Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) process, ensuring timely and accurate Medicare billing and maximizing reimbursements without adding overhead to the provider’s practice.
This comprehensive approach not only streamlines care delivery workflows but also improves patient engagement and adherence, leading to better health outcomes and increased in-office appointment attendance.
Financially, providers additionally benefit from Medify’s proactive approach which is designed to maximize patient recruitment, patient outcomes, and appropriate utilization of reimburseable services.
By using a full-service solution, clients benefit from a substantial profit share of the fee-for-service revenue generated through these programs, often without needing additional staff or resources. This creates a sustainable revenue stream that supports practice growth and stability while allowing clinicians to focus on high-value patient care rather than administrative tasks.
