By Carissa Mosness, Women’s World
Physicians who treat people on Medicare just got a major update: They will be getting a 2.5 percent pay increase thanks to the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. It officially takes effect January 1, 2026, and it’s not only a change for doctors. It’s expected to impact patients significantly, especially those who rely on telehealth services. We break down how the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule will impact patients and physicians below.
What to know about the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Physician Fee Schedule determines the payment rates for medical professions who treat people on Medicare Part B during a calendar year. In 2026, the rate will increase by 2.5 percent. But that’s not as beneficial for doctors as one might expect.
“That physicians are not facing a reduction in reimbursements – as we have in the past – is a significant positive for 2026 and a win for patients’ access to care. Yet, this one-time correction does not keep up with increasing costs, and private practices across the country are expressing concern this rule would further put them at a disadvantage merely for treating patients at a hospital or ambulatory surgery center,” American Medical Association (AMA) President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, said in a statement. Due to that, there are concerns that people on Medicare won’t receive the highest quality of care because there simply won’t be enough resources.
How the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule affects patients
Along with the potential for low-quality care, one of the biggest changes being made by the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is access to telehealth. With these new rules, physicians will no longer have to limit how many virtual appointments they take for patients in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. That means patients in those facilities can receive medical care from their homes, and not traveling to a doctor’s office is a huge benefit to these patients.
This new rule will also take effect on January 1, 2026-but it could change if Congress decides to end the telehealth program altogether at the end of January. Currently the government is only planning to allow the remote medical service to continue until January 30, as outlined in the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, meaning that while this news is helpful it might not last.
“Telehealth has been a lifeline since the pandemic, giving providers the ability to reach patients, especially in rural or underserved areas who lack easy access to in-person care,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. “If these provisions are not extended further, rural residents and individuals with limited mobility could face serious challenges, including long travel times and reduced access to care that telehealth once helped eliminate.”
As of publication, Congress has yet to meet to discuss if they will continue to fund Medicare’s telehealth program for the rest of 2026. During that meeting they will also discuss how they will continue to fund other programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Social Security.
