What Medicare covers now
- From anywhere: through December 31, 2027, you can get Medicare telehealth from home or anywhere in the U.S. There's no rural or facility requirement.
- Video or phone: visits use two-way audio and video, or audio-only in some cases.
- Same cost as in person: after the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.
- Wide range of services: office visits, psychotherapy, some therapy and many other services on Medicare's telehealth list.
What changes on January 1, 2028
| Service | Through Dec. 31, 2027 | Starting Jan. 1, 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Most telehealth | From home, anywhere in the U.S. | Generally must be at a medical facility in a rural area |
| Behavioral and mental health | From home | From home permanently, with in-person visit rules |
| Audio-only | Allowed from home | Behavioral health only, when you can't or won't use video |
| Physical, occupational and speech therapy, audiology | Allowed by telehealth | No longer allowed as Medicare telehealth |
These dates are current law as described in CMS's telehealth FAQ (updated October 2026). Congress has extended the home-telehealth rules before and could do so again.
Why it matters in rural Oklahoma
Many Oklahomans live far from specialists. CMS's July 2026 Provider of Services file lists 38 active Critical Access Hospitals and 7 Rural Emergency Hospitals in the state, small facilities that often have limited specialty care. Telehealth can connect you with specialists without the drive. Under the 2028 rules, a rural clinic or hospital could still serve as the place you connect from. See rural hospitals and telehealth in Oklahoma.
Getting a telehealth visit
- Ask your doctor whether the visit can be done by video or phone.
- Test your device and connection before the appointment.
- Have your Medicare card and medicine list ready, and check whether your plan has its own telehealth rules.
Our guide to tornadoes, ice storms and Medicare covers rural care too. To compare plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
What is a Rural Emergency Hospital?
Oklahoma's seven REHs.
Medicare after a tornado
Plan rules in disasters.
Generators and Medicare
Outages and equipment.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Telehealth
- CMS — Telehealth FAQ (updated October 2026)
- CMS — Provider of Services File, Hospital and Non-Hospital Facilities (July 2026)
More questions in this guide
- Can I get an early prescription refill before an ice storm or after a tornado?
- Does Medicare pay for a generator for my oxygen or medical equipment?
- Is there a Medicare Special Enrollment Period after a disaster in Oklahoma?
- What happens to my Medicare coverage after a tornado in Oklahoma?
- What is a rural emergency hospital in Oklahoma and does Medicare cover it?
Part of the guide: Tornadoes, Ice Storms and Your Medicare in Oklahoma · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I see a counselor by phone from home in Oklahoma?
Yes. Through 2027, audio-only telehealth from home is allowed. After that, CMS says audio-only behavioral health visits at home can continue when your provider can do video but you can't, or don't want to, use it.
Will I need an in-person visit to keep mental health telehealth?
Starting after December 31, 2027, Medicare requires an in-person visit within 6 months before your first mental health telehealth visit from home and generally every 12 months after. CMS says people who started home mental health telehealth on or before December 31, 2027 don't need the 6-month visit but do need the yearly one.
Can my rural health clinic do telehealth?
Yes. CMS says Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers can bill for non-behavioral telehealth through 2027 and for behavioral health telehealth on an ongoing basis.
Medicare in your Oklahoma county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Oklahoma · Tulsa · Cleveland · Canadian · Comanche · Rogers · Wagoner · Payne · Pottawatomie · Creek · Muskogee · Garfield · Grady · Washington · Logan · Bryan · Le Flore · Carter · Cherokee · McClain · All 77 counties →