Audio Only Mental Health Telehealth Rules: Medicare and Texas Medicaid, 2026 to 2028
Medicare pays audio only therapy at home through 2027 with modifier 93 and POS 10. Texas Medicaid requires FQ and a prior
Read the articleEmail: info@webillhealth.com | Call: +1 (425) 818 9351
Business hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 9pm EST
Free white paper
The telehealth billing rules practices keep getting wrong
Telehealth claims are denied for reasons that have nothing to do with the care: a place of service code, a modifier one payer wants and another rejects, a note that does not say where the patient was. This guide lays out the current rules and the documentation that keeps virtual visits paid.
WeBill Health White Paper
Telehealth Billing Rules for 2026 and 2027
Place of service, modifiers, audio only visits, parity and cross state care, laid out payer by payer, with the dates that change everything in 2028.
8 pages | webillhealth.com
What is inside
It is built as a desk reference. Keep it open when you set up a new payer or a new telehealth service.
- Where Medicare stands, and what ends in 2028The flexibilities that run through December 31, 2027, and exactly who loses what on January 1, 2028.
- POS and modifier rules, side by sidePOS 02 and 10, modifiers 95, 93, FQ and GT, and how Medicare, Medicare Advantage and commercial plans differ.
- Audio only and parityWhich visits can be phone only, which codes Medicare will not pay, and where state law requires equal pay.
- Cross state care and documentationLicensure compacts by profession, enrollment rules, and the chart elements auditors look for first.
Send me the telehealth guide
One email address. We send the PDF straight to your inbox and show you the download link right away.
Who this is for
Owners, billing managers and clinical leads at behavioral health, primary care, urgent care, therapy and specialist practices that see patients by video or phone.
Reviewed by Sofia Ramirez, Billing Team Lead at WeBill Health, and updated September 30, 2026.
Questions
Telehealth Billing Rules for 2026 and 2027 questions
How long do the Medicare telehealth flexibilities last?
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 extended them through December 31, 2027. From January 1, 2028 most Medicare telehealth returns to rural areas and medical facilities, except for behavioral health.
Should I use POS 02 or POS 10 for telehealth?
Use POS 10 when the patient is at home and POS 02 when the patient is somewhere else. Medicare pays POS 10 at the non facility rate and POS 02 at the facility rate.
Does Medicare pay the 98000 to 98015 telehealth codes?
No. Medicare bills telehealth E/M visits with 99202 to 99215, the correct POS, and modifier 93 when the visit was audio only.
Is the telehealth billing guide free?
Yes. Enter one email address and the download link appears straight away.
Reviewed by Sofia Ramirez, Billing Team Lead, WeBill HealthLast updated September 30, 2026
Worth reading
View all articles
Telehealth Billing Rules for Mental Health Providers: 2026
The 2026 telehealth billing rules for mental health providers are more complex than ever. Get the CMS updates, modifiers, audio-only rules, and
Read the articleThe Denial Root Cause Playbook
Find the three denial patterns costing you most, trace each to its cause with the CARC code map, and close it at source. Appeal deadline table, checklist and worksheet included.