What Medicare covers
Telehealth means getting care from a provider who is somewhere else in the U.S., using audio and video, or in some cases audio only, through your phone, tablet or computer. Medicare.gov lists examples of covered telehealth services:
- Office visits and consultations
- Outpatient psychotherapy and depression screenings
- Cognitive assessments and advance care planning
- Diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition therapy
- Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, speech therapy and caregiver training
Medicare also covers e-visits through an online patient portal and short "virtual check-ins." Your provider decides which services they can safely offer this way.
What you pay
Telehealth is covered under Part B. After you meet the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for your provider's services. For most telehealth services, that's the same as you'd pay for an in-person visit. A Medigap policy helps with that coinsurance just as it does for office visits. Medicare Advantage plans set their own cost sharing and may offer more telehealth than Original Medicare.
Why it matters in rural North Carolina
Being able to stay home counts for a lot in North Carolina's 31 Appalachian counties and the rural east, where a specialist may be an hour or more away and mountain roads can close in ice, snow or flooding. North Carolina has 20 Critical Access Hospitals and no Rural Emergency Hospitals (CMS, November 2026), so for many people the nearest large hospital is far away.
No broadband? Ask whether your visit can be done by phone. Medicare allows audio-only telehealth in some cases, and many rural practices offer it.
How to get ready
- Ask your doctors now. Find out which of your visits they offer by video or phone and which app or portal they use.
- Test the connection. Try the portal before you need it, with a family member if that helps.
- Check your plan. If you have Medicare Advantage, see what telehealth the plan covers and whether it uses its own telehealth providers.
- Keep in-person options. Telehealth doesn't replace emergency care. Call 911 in an emergency.
More about care far from big hospitals in Medicare in rural and mountain North Carolina. To compare plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
What Medicare options are there in the NC mountains?
Plans, networks and hospitals in the west.
What is a Critical Access Hospital?
North Carolina's 20 small rural hospitals.
Does Medicare pay for air ambulance?
When a helicopter transfer is covered.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Telehealth
- CMS — Hospital General Information (released November 12, 2026)
- Appalachian Regional Commission — FY 2027 Congressional Justification, Appendix B
More questions in this guide
- Does Medicare pay for air ambulance in North Carolina?
- What is a Critical Access Hospital in North Carolina?
- What is a Rural Emergency Hospital in North Carolina?
- What Medicare options are there in the North Carolina mountains?
Part of the guide: Medicare in Rural and Mountain North Carolina · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a Medicare telehealth visit by phone only?
In some cases. Medicare.gov says telehealth uses audio and video, or audio-only communication in some cases. Ask your provider whether your type of visit can be done by phone.
What happens to Medicare home telehealth after 2027?
Medicare.gov states the coverage through December 31, 2027. What applies after that depends on Congress. Some mental and behavioral health telehealth rules are permanent; ask your provider.
Do Medicare Advantage plans cover more telehealth?
They may. Medicare.gov says Medicare Advantage plans and some providers in Original Medicare may offer more telehealth benefits than basic Original Medicare. Check a plan's Evidence of Coverage.
Does Medigap help pay for telehealth?
Medigap policies help pay the Part B coinsurance for covered services, and telehealth visits covered by Part B are Part B services, so a Medigap policy helps with them the same way it helps with an office visit.
Medicare in your North Carolina county
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