Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act

This bill removes key restrictions on Medicare telehealth services for rural patients. It eliminates geographic limits on where telehealth can originate (allowing services from patients' homes starting January 2025), expands access to audio-only telehealth for specific services like behavioral health, and creates new payment rules for critical access hospitals and rural health clinics providing telehealth. These changes directly affect rural Medicare beneficiaries and healthcare providers in underserved areas by making telehealth more accessible and flexible. The policy changes take effect January 1, 2025, and apply to Medicare Part B services.