Considerations of Medicare Telehealth Services With Older Adults

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set in motion a rapid expansion of mental health services offered via telehealth. With this rapid expansion came the need to examine how policy and practice should be shaped in a future where telehealth is considered common in counseling practice. For counselors to understand how to support older adult clients in using telehealth services, they must understand telehealth policy. Following the eligibility of licensed counselors to participate in Medicare, counselors need to stay abreast of regulatory changes regarding restrictions and regulations on use of telehealth for mental and behavioral health services, including video and audio-only delivery. We explore the innovative implementation of Telehealth Access Points (TAPs), which address barriers to telehealth access for the older adult population; considerations of practice; and barriers to accessing telehealth care for mental health counselors.