Supporting the Physiatrist, Strengthening the Specialty

Congress has acted to extend key Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027, as part of a larger government funding package that reopened the federal government after a very brief partial shutdown. These flexibilities, originally implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, are critically important for ensuring continued access to care for patients, and the Academy has long prioritized advocating for their extension. 

“The Academy is pleased that Congress was able to pass a longer-term extension of the federal telehealth waivers that allow physiatrists to continue providing many virtual services to our Medicare patients. Ensuring access to telehealth, alongside the continued federal investments in disability and rehabilitation research contained in this spending bill, supports innovation, evidence-based PM&R care, and better outcomes for patients across the continuum of rehabilitation.”– Keith Foster, MD, MBA, FAAPMR; Chair, AAPM&R Health Policy & Legislation Committee 

AAPM&R has consistently advocated for long-term telehealth certainty. These flexibilities provide much-needed certainty for PM&R physicians and ensure continued access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries who rely on virtual care to meet their rehabilitation needs.

In addition to extending telehealth flexibilities, the larger government funding package protects existing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) institutional structures and essential programs and continues federal investments supporting  medical research. This package funds the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a major source of support for rehabilitation and disability medical research, at over $47 billion for FY 2026, a $415 million (0.9%) increase in funding relative to the total for the agency last year. Your Academy, along with allied stakeholders such as the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), devoted significant time and resources in 2025 to advocating in favor of protecting these programs and sources of funding for vital rehabilitation and disability medical research.

AAPM&R will continue to monitor implementation of these policies and advocate for permanent solutions that support fair reimbursement, innovation in care delivery and access to services for patients nationwide. 

Take Action Now! 

We encourage all PM&R physicians to: 

• Stay informed on legislative developments impacting the specialty 
• Engage with lawmakers to support policies that protect patient access to PM&R care 

Please contact Academy staff at healthpolicy@aapmr.org with any questions. 

Congress has acted to extend key Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027, as part of a larger government funding package that reopened the federal government after a very brief partial shutdown. These flexibilities, originally implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, are critically important for ensuring continued access to care for patients, and the Academy has long prioritized advocating for their extension. 

“The Academy is pleased that Congress was able to pass a longer-term extension of the federal telehealth waivers that allow physiatrists to continue providing many virtual services to our Medicare patients. Ensuring access to telehealth, alongside the continued federal investments in disability and rehabilitation research contained in this spending bill, supports innovation, evidence-based PM&R care, and better outcomes for patients across the continuum of rehabilitation.”– Keith Foster, MD, MBA, FAAPMR; Chair, AAPM&R Health Policy & Legislation Committee 

AAPM&R has consistently advocated for long-term telehealth certainty. These flexibilities provide much-needed certainty for PM&R physicians and ensure continued access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries who rely on virtual care to meet their rehabilitation needs.

In addition to extending telehealth flexibilities, the larger government funding package protects existing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) institutional structures and essential programs and continues federal investments supporting  medical research. This package funds the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a major source of support for rehabilitation and disability medical research, at over $47 billion for FY 2026, a $415 million (0.9%) increase in funding relative to the total for the agency last year. Your Academy, along with allied stakeholders such as the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), devoted significant time and resources in 2025 to advocating in favor of protecting these programs and sources of funding for vital rehabilitation and disability medical research.

AAPM&R will continue to monitor implementation of these policies and advocate for permanent solutions that support fair reimbursement, innovation in care delivery and access to services for patients nationwide. 

Take Action Now! 

We encourage all PM&R physicians to: 

• Stay informed on legislative developments impacting the specialty 
• Engage with lawmakers to support policies that protect patient access to PM&R care 

Please contact Academy staff at healthpolicy@aapmr.org with any questions.