Legislative Session Starts; MMA to Focus on 5 Major Issues
February 19, 2026
State lawmakers returned to St. Paul on February 17 for the second half of the 2025-2026 biennium.
Congress Extends Medicare Coverage for Telehealth Services
March 17, 2022
The U.S. Congress has agreed to extend Medicare coverage for telehealth services for at least five months after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. President Biden signed this into law on March 15.
This will provide coverage until at least the end of 2022. Without this legislation telehealth services would have reverted to limited coverage in certain rural areas and would have required a patient to receive telehealth care at a healthcare facility.
The action is part of a $1.5 trillion bill that also funds the federal government through September and sends aid to Ukraine.
The bill extends Medicare coverage for telehealth services delivered in patients' homes and audio-only services that have been part of the public health emergency. The new law also calls on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to issue a report on telehealth use by June 15, 2023. Efforts continue in Congress to make these telehealth coverage expansions permanent.
Latest News
MMA Leaders Testify on Medicaid Cuts
February 19, 2026
On the second day of the legislative session, MMA leadership was already advocating for one of its top priorities - minimizing the harm of federal changes to Medical Assistance (MA).
MMA Priority Bill on AI and Prior Auth Already Moving at the Capitol
February 19, 2026
Legislation to prohibit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in prior authorization requirements was heard in the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee on February 19.