Rural Telehealth Expansion Act

The Rural Telehealth Expansion Act (HR 197) removes a restriction in Medicare law that previously limited coverage for store-and-forward telehealth services to demonstration programs in Alaska and Hawaii. This amendment allows Medicare to cover store-and-forward telehealth services nationwide, expanding access for beneficiaries. The bill directly affects rural Medicare beneficiaries by enabling broader use of this telehealth method for non-real-time medical consultations. The key provision modifies Section 1834(m)(1) of the Social Security Act to eliminate the geographic limitation.