FUNDING PACKAGE SIGNED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP EXTENDS KEY TELEHEALTH PROVISIONS FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, ENDS PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

WASHINGTON, DC, FEBRUARY 3, 2026 – ATA Action, the affiliated policy and legislative advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association, celebrates passage of an appropriations minibus approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump this afternoon, including a two-year extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities and a five-year extension of the Medicare Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver.

“This is a significant and hard-earned win for ATA Action, the ATA, and our members, as well as for patients, caregivers, clinicians and healthcare organizations, demonstrating the strength of sustained, credible, strategic advocacy,” said Kyle Zebley, CEO of the ATA and executive director, ATA Action. “We are deeply grateful for the continued bipartisan, bicameral backing of our Congressional champions, holding steady on their support for telehealth and virtual care services. We also extend sincere thanks to President Trump who was responsible for originally enacting these waivers during his first term in office, in swift response to the pandemic. We would not be here without his staunch support for telehealth, transforming our healthcare system by enabling proven digital health technologies to expand access to needed care for millions of patients.”

The five-bill minibus brings an end to the three-day government shutdown and reinstates key telehealth flexibilities for multiple years. This legislative package includes several critical telehealth provisions, including:

• Extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027
• Five-year extension of the Acute Hospital Care at Home Program through September 30, 2030
• Extension of in-home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation flexibilities through January 1, 2028
• A requirement that HHS issue guidance within one year on furnishing telehealth services to individuals with limited English proficiency
• Inclusion of virtual diabetes suppliers in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program through December 31, 2029

“At a time of political volatility, telehealth continues to stand out as a core bipartisan priority, demonstrating the strength, credibility, and persistence of our sustained advocacy efforts. Our priorities were reflected throughout the funding package and I’m proud of the role ATA Action has played over the past five-plus years,” added Alexis Apple, deputy executive director of ATA Action and vice president of public affairs at the ATA. “These extensions provide critical stability and certainty for patients and healthcare providers but also underscore the work still ahead.

“These multi-year extensions will give government agencies, legislators and advocates needed time to hammer out the details of permanent provisions. Over the next two years, ATA Action will build on this momentum and continue to push for permanent telehealth policy solutions that reflect how care is delivered today and how patients expect to access care in the future,” added Apple.

About ATA Action
Founded in 2022, ATA Action is the leading advocacy organization dedicated to advancing policy and accelerating the adoption of technology-enabled healthcare. Working collaboratively with federal and state legislators and policymakers, ATA Action drives industry momentum by influencing legislative and regulatory developments in telehealth, virtual care, remote patient monitoring, artificial intelligence in health, health data privacy, private sector healthcare investment, and more. Representing a diverse membership – including hospital systems, technology companies, professional associations, direct-to-consumer digital health providers, payers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, digital therapeutics developers, and remote monitoring organizations – ATA Action facilitates member-led coalitions focused on initiatives such as Advancing Digital Health and Prescription Drug Use-Related Software (PDURS), Virtual Foodcare, and Cross State Care.

ATA Action is a registered 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade organization engaged in lobbying efforts to shape industry-related legislation and serves as an affiliated trade association of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA). The ATA, a 501(c)(3) entity, is recognized for its leadership in advancing innovation and leading transformation in virtual care, digital health, hybrid care, artificial intelligence, and next generation connected care.