Pappas unveils proposal to increase Medicare telehealth options in House

U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas introduced new legislation in the House designed to expand telehealth options for Medicare beneficiaries by lifting geographic and provider limitations, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.7444 was brought forward on Feb. 9, 2026, during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following summary is based on the official bill text and may include clarifications for better understanding.

Fundamentally, the bill seeks to improve access to Medicare telehealth services by lifting certain geographic barriers and broadening payment eligibility. Notable elements include removing originating site restrictions, permitting telehealth to be delivered at a patient’s home beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and expanding the list of approved telehealth providers to encompass critical access hospitals, Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics. The legislation also authorizes audio-only technology for some telehealth visits and ensures payment parity between audio and other approved telecommunications methods. In addition, the bill signals the intention of Congress to maintain permanently the extended eligibility for telehealth practitioners established during the public health emergency.

Rep. Chris Pappas (Democrat-NH-1st District) introduced the bill with Rep. Zachary Nunn (Republican-NH-3rd District) as co-sponsor.

Since this session began, Rep. Pappas has sponsored an additional 35 pieces of legislation.

All Congressional bills can start in either the House or the Senate, with the exception of revenue bills, which must originate in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for consideration, which includes hearings, amendments and debate before a potential vote in each chamber. Identical bills approved by both houses move to the president, who may sign them into law or issue a veto. Each Congress runs for two years and consists of two annual sessions. Legislative proceedings and official bill records are overseen by the U.S. Congress and published on Congress.gov.

Chris Pappas is a U.S. Representative from New Hampshire, born in Manchester on June 4, 1980. A Harvard University graduate in 2002, Pappas has served as a member of the New Hampshire State House of Representatives (2003-2007), Hillsborough County treasurer (2007-2011), and a member of the New Hampshire Executive Council (2013-2019), prior to joining Congress in 2019.

Information in this article was sourced from the U.S. Congress. Access the original data here.