Key TakeawaysUnless extended by Congress, in-person visits will be required for telehealth services to diagnose, evaluate and treat mental health issues under Medicare beginning Oct. 1, 2025. What’s Staying: Permanent Behavioral Health FlexibilitiesDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress and Medicare put Medicare waivers in place to enable accelerated, broad adoption of telehealth practices, spurring fast growth within the behavioral health care sector. Audio - Only Telehealth Permitted: Medicare will continue to cover audio-only behavioral telehealth services without requiring video. - Medicare will continue to cover audio-only behavioral telehealth services without requiring video. This means mental health providers relying on telehealth must have a plan to ensure each telehealth patient has an in-person visit beginning Oct. 1, 2025.