RHC & FQHC Telehealth Billing Changes for 2026:
G2025 Ends October 1

RHC / FQHC Blog Entry

September 14, 2026
By: Ashley Williams

Summary: 

Starting October 1, 2026, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) must stop using HCPCS code G2025 for distant site telehealth services. Instead, you'll bill individual CPT or HCPCS codes for each service, along with the correct telehealth modifier (93 or 95). The CY 2026 payment rate is $97.53 per service. CMS has also added several new telehealth codes for 2026. This article breaks down the changes in plain language and provides a checklist to help you prepare.

If your clinic has been billing Medicare for telehealth visits, a change is coming that will affect your billing workflow starting October 1, 2026. We want to make sure you hear about it now, not when claims start getting denied.

The short version: CMS is retiring the single "catch-all" code you've been using for distant site telehealth and asking you to bill the specific service code instead. It's a documentation shift, not a reduction in what you can offer. Let's walk through what's changing and what you need to do.

RHC and FQHC Telehealth Billing: G2025 Ends October 1, 2026

Since the telehealth flexibilities began, RHCs and FQHCs have billed non-behavioral health distant site telehealth services using a single code: G2025. It was simple. One visit, one code, done.

That changes on October 1, 2026. For dates of service on or after that date, you must bill the individual CPT or HCPCS code that describes the specific telehealth service you provided. CMS publishes the full list of approved telehealth codes each year as part of the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) rule.

In other words, instead of one code covering everything, you'll now match the code to the actual service. A behavioral health telehealth visit gets a behavioral health code. An office visit gets an office visit code. You get the idea.

Key date: The change is effective for dates of service on or after October 1, 2026. CMS implementation is set for October 5, 2026

Telehealth Modifiers 93 and 95 for RHC and FQHC Claims

Along with the individual service code, you'll report the appropriate revenue code and one of two telehealth modifiers.

93

Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via telephone or other real-time interactive audio-only telecommunications system.

95

Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system

If the visit was audio-only (like a phone call), use modifier 93. If it used video, use modifier 95. This tells Medicare exactly how you delivered the service.

2026 RHC and FQHC Telehealth Payment Rate

Here's some good news: the payment structure itself isn't changing in a way that should worry you. The CY 2026 payment rate for telehealth services furnished by RHCs and FQHCs is $97.53 per service.

This rate is based on the average payment for all PFS telehealth services, weighted by volume. Through CY 2027, the Social Security Act requires CMS to keep this payment similar to the national average for comparable telehealth services under the PFS.

Importantly, CMS does not use the costs associated with distant site telehealth services to determine your payment under the FQHC Prospective Payment System or the RHC all-inclusive rate methodology. CMS pays telehealth separately, in addition to your encounter rate.

For a broader look at Medicare reimbursement and revenue opportunities, see our 2026 RHC reimbursement guide and our AIR Calculation guide.

RHC and FQHC Telehealth Flexibilities Continue Through 2027

You may be wondering whether telehealth flexibilities for RHCs and FQHCs will disappear. For now, they're safe.

Section 6209(c) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 extended the telehealth flexibilities that allow RHCs and FQHCs to serve as distant site providers until January 1, 2028. This lets your clinic keep offering telehealth services through the end of CY 2027.

One helpful reminder from CMS: practitioners can provide distant site telehealth services from any location while working for the RHC or FQHC, as long as the service is within their scope of practice and approved under the PFS. That flexibility remains in place.

New Medicare Telehealth CPT/HCPCS Codes for 2026

Along with the billing change, CMS added several new codes to the CY 2026 Medicare telehealth list. These are the codes marked as "Addition" in the official list:

  • 90849:
    Multiple family group psychotherapy
  • 92622:
    Diagnostic analysis of auditory osseointegrated sound processor (first hour)
  • 92623:
    Diagnostic analysis of auditory osseointegrated sound processor (each additional)
  • G0473:
    Group behavioral counseling, 2-10 patients
  • G0545:
    Inherent visit to inpatient

If your practice offers any of these services, make sure your billing team knows they're now eligible for telehealth billing. The full list of approved telehealth codes for CY 2026 is available on the CMS List of Telehealth Services page. Oasis is happy to help rural health and FQHC practices. Schedule a quick 15-minute conversation.

RHC/FQHC Telehealth Billing Checklist Before October 1, 2026

Here's a simple checklist to get your team ready before October 1:

1

Update your billing system

to accept individual CPT/HCPCS telehealth codes instead of defaulting to G2025.

2

Train your billing staff

 to choose the correct service code and apply modifier 93 or 95 based on whether the visit was audio-only or audio-video.

3

Review the full telehealth code list

and highlight the codes your providers use most often.

4

Check your EHR templates

and change any that auto-populate G2025

5

Communicate with your providers 

 so they document the specific service type and modality (audio-only vs. video) for each telehealth visit.

6

Watch for the October 5 implementation date.

Confirm with your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) how claims will be handled during that window.

You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone

We know billing changes can feel overwhelming, especially when you're already stretched thin running a small practice. That's why we put together a one-page reference guide you can download and share with your team.

Our downloadable PDF summarizes the key changes, highlights the new CY 2026 codes, and includes the complete list of approved Medicare telehealth codes for RHCs and FQHCs. Print it out, pin it next to your billing workstation, and share it with your team.

Download the 2026 RHC/FQHC Telehealth Billing Quick Reference

Enter your details below to view the guide immediately.

Common Questions About RHC and FQHC Telehealth Billing in 2026

G2025 is the single HCPCS code that RHCs and FQHCs have used to bill Medicare for non-behavioral health distant site telehealth services. Instead of reporting the specific service provided, clinics used this one "catch-all" code for every telehealth visit. That made billing simple, but it didn't tell Medicare what service was actually furnished.

G2025 is retired for dates of service on or after October 1, 2026. CMS implementation is set for October 5, 2026. Any telehealth claim you submit with G2025 for a service date of October 1 or later will not be valid.

RHCs and FQHCs must bill the individual CPT or HCPCS code that describes the specific telehealth service provided — such as an office visit code (99213), a behavioral health code (90834), or any other approved code from the CY 2026 Medicare telehealth list. You'll also append the appropriate revenue code and telehealth modifier (93 or 95) to each claim.

Use modifier 93 when the visit was delivered via audio-only (a phone call or other real-time audio system without video). Use modifier 95 when the visit used real-time, interactive audio and video. The modifier tells Medicare exactly how the service was furnished, so it's important that your providers document the modality for every telehealth encounter.

The CY 2026 payment rate for distant site telehealth services furnished by RHCs and FQHCs is $97.53 per service. This rate is based on the average payment for all PFS telehealth services, weighted by volume. CMS does not use telehealth costs to calculate your RHC all-inclusive rate or FQHC prospective payment — telehealth is paid separately, on top of your encounter rate.

As always, if you have questions about how these changes affect your specific billing setup, contact us at 800-230-8380. We're here to help you get it right the first time.

Who is 
Oasis Medical Solutions

Oasis Medical Solutions is a healthcare technology company that helps medical practices streamline their operations and maximize revenue. We specialize in providing Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems and related services, including practice management software, billing solutions, and consulting.

With a focus on personalized service and customized solutions, Oasis aims to empower healthcare providers to navigate the complexities of the healthcare industry and focus on delivering quality patient care.

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