In Georgia, Medicare covers telehealth, but the rules split in two: behavioral health telehealth is permanent, while most other virtual visits are authorized only through December 31, 2027. That single date decides whether a Georgian on Medicare can keep seeing a doctor from home after 2027 or has to travel to an approved site again. This guide explains what Georgia Medicare telehealth services cover now, what you pay, and how dual eligibles who have both Medicare and Georgia Medicaid can bring that cost down to zero; the permanent-vs-temporary coverage mechanics that apply nationwide are in our Medicare telehealth coverage guide.

In This Guide

What Georgia Medicare Telehealth Services Cover

Georgia Medicare telehealth services fall into two groups, and the difference matters more than any billing detail. Behavioral and mental health telehealth is a permanent Medicare benefit. General telehealth, meaning virtual visits for physical health conditions, rests on a temporary flexibility that Congress has extended several times and that currently runs through December 31, 2027.

For behavioral health, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 permanently removed the old geographic and originating-site limits. A Georgian can receive behavioral health telehealth from home, in any part of the state, whether rural or urban. Audio-only (telephone) behavioral health is allowed when you cannot use or do not consent to two-way video, and since January 31, 2026, practitioners may use real-time two-way audio-only technology for behavioral health services.

For general telehealth, the flexibility that lets you receive a virtual visit at home, anywhere in the country, is temporary and currently extended through December 31, 2027. If it lapses, most non-behavioral telehealth returns to the pre-2020 rule: you would need to be in a rural area, physically located at an approved originating site such as a clinic or hospital, not at home.

Feature Behavioral / mental health telehealth General (non-behavioral) telehealth
Status Permanent Temporary, through Dec 31, 2027
From home, anywhere in Georgia Yes Yes, until the flexibility expires
If Congress does not extend Unaffected Reverts to rural, approved-site-only rules
Audio-only allowed Yes, when video is not usable Only while the flexibility is in effect

Is Medicare Telehealth From Home Permanent?

Partly. Behavioral health telehealth from home is permanent. General telehealth from home is not; it is currently authorized only through December 31, 2027, unless Congress extends it again.

This recurring deadline is often called the telehealth cliff. Each extension has pushed the expiration date forward, so the operative date changes over time. As of this writing the flexibilities run through December 31, 2027, which is the date to watch. Because the rules are actively changing, confirm the current status with Medicare before you rely on a home visit for physical-health care.

One more rule sits on the same clock. Medicare normally attaches an in-person requirement to at-home behavioral health telehealth: an in-person visit within the six months before your first telehealth visit, and at least once every 12 months after. Congress has waived that in-person requirement through December 31, 2027; it takes effect only for services on or after January 1, 2028 unless waived again.

What You Pay for Georgia Medicare Telehealth

A Medicare telehealth visit costs the same as the same visit in person. Telehealth is covered under Part B, so after you meet the annual Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. This is identical to the cost-sharing for an in-person office visit.

Two things change that math. First, a Medicare Advantage plan may offer telehealth benefits beyond Original Medicare, including lower or waived cost-sharing, so check your plan documents. Second, if you also qualify for a Medicare Savings Program, Georgia Medicaid pays your Medicare cost-sharing, which can bring your telehealth cost to zero (see the next section).

Your situation What you pay for a covered telehealth visit
Original Medicare, no extra help Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), then 20% coinsurance
Enrolled in QMB (a Medicare Savings Program) $0 (QMB pays the deductible and the 20%)
Medicare Advantage Plan's telehealth cost-sharing (may be lower or $0)

Telehealth When You Have Both Medicare and Medicaid

Georgians who have both Medicare and full Georgia Medicaid are dual eligibles, and their telehealth math is different. Medicare is the primary payer for the telehealth visit, and Georgia Medicaid steps in to cover the Medicare cost-sharing.

The clearest case is the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, one of Georgia's Medicare Savings Programs administered by the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). QMB pays your Medicare Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance. For a Medicare-covered telehealth visit, that means QMB pays the Part B deductible and coinsurance, so a Georgian enrolled in QMB pays $0. For 2026, the QMB monthly income limit in Georgia is $1,350 for an individual and $1,824 for a couple, with a resource limit of $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a couple.

Many Georgia dual eligibles receive their Medicare through a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), a type of Medicare Advantage plan built for people with both coverages. D-SNPs operating in Georgia for 2026 include plans from UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and CareSource. A D-SNP coordinates your Medicare and Medicaid benefits, including telehealth, in one plan. Georgia's Department of Community Health placed a moratorium on contracting with new D-SNPs effective August 1, 2025, while keeping existing D-SNP contracts in place, so the plans already in the market continue to enroll.

Georgia's dual-eligible integration is more limited than in states that run a single integrated Medicare-Medicaid plan. Long-term services and supports for older adults run through home- and community-based waivers, the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and SOURCE, rather than through one integrated plan. Georgia has not adopted full Medicaid expansion, so eligibility for full Medicaid as a dual eligible generally runs through the aged, blind, and disabled categories.

If you want to move into or between plans, dual eligibles have a monthly Special Enrollment Period. As of January 1, 2025, a full-benefit dual eligible can use the Integrated Care Special Enrollment Period to enroll once per month into an integrated D-SNP, effective the first of the next month, but only if you are also in the affiliated Medicaid managed care plan. Duals who are not in an aligned plan can still use their monthly Special Enrollment Period to move to Original Medicare plus a standalone drug plan.

How to Use Georgia Medicare Telehealth Services

1
Step 1

Ask your provider whether they offer Medicare telehealth

Many Georgia primary care, behavioral health, and specialty practices offer virtual visits. Confirm the visit is billed to Medicare, not offered as a separate cash service.

2
Step 2

Confirm the type of care

Behavioral health telehealth from home is permanent. For physical-health telehealth from home, confirm it is still covered under the current flexibility, which runs through December 31, 2027.

3
Step 3

Check what you will pay

Under Original Medicare you pay the Part B deductible and then 20%. If you have a Medicare Advantage or Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, check the plan's telehealth cost-sharing.

4
Step 4

If money is tight, apply for a Medicare Savings Program

QMB, SLMB, and QI can pay part or all of your Medicare costs. Apply through DFCS at 1-877-423-4746 or through Georgia Gateway.

5
Step 5

Get free help

Call GeorgiaCares, Georgia's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, at 1-866-552-4464 (option 4) for unbiased counseling on plans, costs, and Medicare Savings Programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is behavioral health telehealth permanent for Georgia Medicare beneficiaries?

Yes. Behavioral and mental health telehealth is a permanent Medicare benefit. Georgians can receive it from home, anywhere in the state, with no rural or geographic restriction, and it is not affected by the December 31, 2027 deadline that applies to general telehealth. Audio-only behavioral health is allowed when video is not usable, and since January 31, 2026, practitioners may use real-time audio-only technology for behavioral health.

Can I still get a general Medicare telehealth visit at home in Georgia?

Yes, for now. General (non-behavioral) telehealth from home is authorized through December 31, 2027. If Congress does not extend it, most non-behavioral telehealth would revert to the older rule requiring you to be in a rural area at an approved site such as a clinic, rather than at home.

What does a Medicare telehealth visit cost in Georgia?

The same as an in-person visit. Telehealth is covered under Part B, so after the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. A Medicare Advantage plan may charge less.

I have both Medicare and Georgia Medicaid. Do I pay anything for telehealth?

Usually not. If you are in the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, Georgia Medicaid pays your Medicare Part B deductible and the 20% coinsurance, so a Medicare-covered telehealth visit costs you $0. If you have a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, check your plan's telehealth cost-sharing.

Can I get Medicare telehealth from a doctor in another state?

Generally the practitioner must be licensed in the state where you are located during the visit. For a Georgian at home, that usually means a Georgia-licensed practitioner, subject to interstate licensure arrangements. Ask the practice whether they are licensed to treat patients located in Georgia.

Learn More

MedicaidGeorgia Medicaid Telehealth CoverageHow Georgia Medicaid covers telehealth in 2026: audio-only, remote monitoring, controlled-substance rules, the three CMOs, and how to book a virtual visit. MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Physician ServicesWhat Georgia Medicare physician services cost after the 2026 Part B deductible, how to tell if your doctor takes assignment, and the limiting-charge cap. MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Outpatient Mental HealthHow Georgia Medicare covers outpatient mental health: 20% coinsurance, new MFT and counselor providers, PHP, IOP, and the 190-day inpatient psychiatric cap. MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Remote Patient MonitoringMedicare covers Georgia remote patient monitoring (RPM) as a recurring monthly 20% Part B cost after the $283 deductible, and QMB or Medigap can zero it out. MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Preventive ServicesMedicare covers most preventive care in Georgia at $0 with assignment. What is free, why a screening can become a bill, and how dual eligibles are protected.

Find personalized help understanding Georgia Medicare telehealth services at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.